


The Ramblers Keep on Rambling

by Nachos89



Series: Ramblers [1]
Category: From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Genre: Bank Robbery, Blow Jobs, Budding Love, Canon-Typical Violence, Dirty Dancing, Dirty Talk, F/M, Gen, Hand Jobs, Oral Sex, Science Fiction, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-06-11 01:56:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 115,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15304872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nachos89/pseuds/Nachos89
Summary: Set two years after Amaru, Kate, Richie, and Seth put down scores while trying to run Jacknife Jeds. Kate and Richie are trying to figure out their feelings for one another, while Seth grows impatient waiting for them to see what he sees. During this, a stranger appears, bringing them some bad news, and opens their eyes to a much bigger world.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at writing anything like this, I hope you enjoy it. It's going to be multiple parts/chapters. This first part dosen't delve too much into the bigger world I intend to create.

Chapter 1

A dark haired woman makes it up the steps to her apartment door, keys in hand, only to realize the door is slightly ajar. She puts her keys back in her pocket and pulls out a black handled, Stiletto knife, and flips it open. With her free hand she carefully pushes open the door to her dark apartment. 

She makes her way carefully inside, quickly gets her bearings and makes her way farther in. The apartment is trashed, but there are no signs that anyone is still lurking. She can see a thin beam of light coming from the partially open door to her office towards the back of the apartment, and heads to it. There’s a safe in there, holding incredibly valuable merchandise. If this was a robbery, that is what they would be looking for. 

“Vincenzo,” she whispers as she heads for the door. “You in there?”

There is no reply as she slowly opens the door. The desk lamp is on, and this room is more trashed than the rest of the place. She sees blood on the desk, on the walls, and on the floor, but no body. Her heart sinks to her stomach. Something bad happened here. She looks to the wall where a book case surrounds a usually hidden wall safe. It’s wide open now. She runs to it, checking for what’s missing.

“No, no, no, no, no,” she cries as she digs through the contents. The cash is still there, ten grand in neat piles. Paperwork and bonds, all tossed aside. But it’s gone. The most important thing in the safe is gone.

“Oh fuck,” she exhales.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Morning everyone! This is exactly what it looks like,” said Seth as he fired a round into the ceiling of the bank.

Meanwhile Richie cold cocked one of the security guards as he barged in behind his brother. The other guard on the far side of the bank reached for his gun, only to hear the click of a safety being turned off beside his left temple. Kate was already there, ready for him.

“I’ll take that, thank you,” she replied with a strangely pleasant smile plastered on her face. 

The guard gulped and let her take his gun.

“Face down, on the ground,” she said with all the authority she could muster.

It was business as usual on the other side of the bank by the brothers. Seth locked the door, Richie shot out the cameras, and then Seth took a trash can to grab all the cell phones. The bank had barely been open more than ten minutes, so it was mostly just the small staff. Two guards, one bank manager, and the two tellers. There was also the one elderly man making an early morning deposit. Easy peasy, they could handle this no problem. It was your basic heist. “In and out, no problems,” as Seth would say. After all, they have done this eight other times in the two years since they stopped Amaru from effectively ending the world.

Ever the showman, Seth pulled one of the tellers over by the arm, bringing her to face the manager, and putting the gun to her head.

“I hear a pretty significant deposit was made yesterday. About four mil in uncut diamonds was loaded into a certain safety deposit box, owned by a very sketchy client of yours. We are here to relieve you of this bad investment. He’s gonna need to get into the safe,” he said pointing at Richie. 

The bank manager just stared at him, mouth open, clearly trying to find words. 

“Now! Or Blondie here gets a makeover,” Seth yelled at the stunned man. 

“Okay, okay, I’ll open it for you, just don’t hurt anyone. Please."

“That’s what I like to hear.”

Richie walked over to the manager and gruffly shoved him over to the safe. Following him closely with his gun pointed at the back of his head. All Kate and Seth had to do was keep an eye on everyone else here in the front while Richie grabbed the loot. Then they would quickly retreat to their car and get the hell out of dodge. If everything went smoothly, like it should, no one would have to get hurt. Which is exactly how all three of them preferred it. 

About five minutes later, Richie appeared with a bag full of treasure. It looked like he grabbed more than the diamonds. It was obvious he took some of the cash as well. Kate knew he would catch all the stacks with explosive dye packs, so she didn’t see the problem with him helping himself to some of it. They were already robbing the bank anyway so what could it hurt?

“Very nicely done everyone,” barked Seth as the three of them backed to the door. “You see, this is what I call teamwork. We all played our parts, and nobody got hurt. It has been a pleasure working with you all.”

Just then a shot rang out from behind them, hitting Kate in the arm. The guard Richie knocked out earlier had regained his consciousness, and was now performing his job to the best of his dazed abilities. He shot again, this time aimed straight at her chest. Richie stepped in front of her, catching the bullet in his gut. He stumbled backwards briefly than caught his balance, grabbing Kate and shoving her completely behind him in one swift move. Seth took the opportunity to shoot the guard in his shoulder, making it impossible to get off a third shot. 

Richie turned around and pushed Kate out the door as soon as Seth could get it open, still blocking her from any further danger. He was running so fast he practically dragged her to their car that was parked just across the street. They hopped in and were off in seconds, speeding down the street to safety.

“What the fuck was that, Richard? He was your responsibility,” screamed Seth as he screeched around a corner.

“How the fuck should I know. I hit him pretty hard, should have been out for hours.”

“You were supposed to grab his gun, you fuck up.”

“I did grab his gun, asshole. He must have had an ankle piece.”

The brothers bickered for the next few minutes about whose fault this was, and whose fault that was. Whose stupid plan it was to begin with, and any other issue they ever had. Not so unusual, next to robbing banks, it’s what they did best. Kate sat there quietly, half listening, and half in shock.

“Fuck, Kate. Are you okay,” asked Richie. “Kate?” He asked again, this time grabbing her knee and gently squeezing it to get her attention. 

“Huh, yeah I’m fine. It was just a graze. What about you?”

“He’ll heal,” Seth interrupted.

Richie shot Seth a look. “Thanks for the concern, brother.” He turned towards Kate, smiled and said, “I’ll be fine. I’ll need to feed tonight though.” He shrugged his shoulders and grinned before continuing. “I’ll take a look at you when we get back to the room. I left the first aid kit in there anyway. You sure you’re okay?”

She nodded and placed her hand on his, “I’ll be fine Richie.” 

He shot her a half smile, looking her deep in the eyes. She could see the concern behind his horn-rimmed glasses though. The Gecko brothers tended to be a little over protective when it came to her. While it could get annoying sometimes, she actually she kind of liked it most of the time. She liked that these two hardened criminals had a soft spot for her. It made her feel special, and reminded her that she was as much a part of this trio as either of the brothers.

After that, the brothers went back to bickering at each other. Kate rolled her eyes, but knew better than to get involved. Now that the shock was finally wearing off, her arm was throbbing. The motel was not that far though, and she knew Richie would take good care of her when they got there. He was always so gentle when he fixed her scrapes and cuts. It was oddly good bedside manner from a man with almost no people skills. Although she suspected it had a lot to do with the patient, she had seen him doctor others before, including Seth, and it wasn’t nearly as pleasant. 

They made good time on the way back to the little motel, and were in their room in no time. Richie started digging in his bag for the first aid kit, while Kate sunk into her bed. It was a decent bed for a motel, but nothing compared to own bed back at Jacknife Jed’s. 

After all the crazy, the brothers reopened the Jacknife and a few of their other establishments. They used the Jacknife as a base of operations; it already had living quarters set up when they took the place. While they would be pretty set just running the joint, that lifestyle was just not enough for the brothers. They went back to pulling scores whenever they could. They even let Kate tag along on these “working vacations”. They thought it would be a good distraction for her after everything that happened. Kate had terrible nightmares almost every night for months after Amaru, and often woke up screaming and ill rested. Then she would be out of it the next day, like the nightmares drained her completely. The distraction seemed to work for the most part. Kate started having fewer nightmares, and slowly made it back to her old self.

Richie sat down next to her on the bed, first aid kit and clean towels in hand. First he washed the fresh graze with soapy water. After determining it didn’t need stitches, he put some Neosporin on it and carefully bandaged it up.

“Sorry, Kate,” he said. “It’s my fault. I won’t let it happen again.”

“The fuck you won’t,” screamed the up until now silent Seth, from the other side of the room. “If that asshole had better aim, she could be dead right now. Did that thought ever cross your big, fucking brain, shithead?”

The look on Richie’s face was a combination of dejection and anger. Of course he had thought of that already, and he was angry that Seth clearly thought he didn’t care about their safety. Kate could tell by the sad puppy eyes he kept flashing her during his mending of her arm, that he was already upset enough without being belittled by his brother.

“He didn’t do it on purpose, Seth, you know he’s careful. Plus it’s just a little graze. If anything, he took the brunt of it.” She put her hand on top of Richie’s, gently running her thumb over his knuckles. She knows he’s more sensitive than he lets on, and figured the gesture would be reassuring. 

“Whatever, Princess. He slipped up. In no part of this plan was that guard supposed to get up and shoot any of us. Period.”

“It was just a little mistake, we all make them. No harm, no foul.”

“We don’t get the liberty of mistakes in our line of work, Princess. Mistakes can cost a life, your life if things worked out differently. Would’ve been his if he didn’t have this Culebra shit going on.”

“Look, we got the diamonds and nobody’s really hurt. Let’s just celebrate the win, Seth. Besides, we only have one more night before we head back. Let’s make the most of it.”

“You do you, Princess. I’m going for a drink. Don’t follow me.”

With that, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He gets like that, all worked up. Then he wants to be alone, usually in a bar so he can drink himself silly. That was not how Kate did things, so it never made sense to her, but that’s how he coped, and she’d be damned if she tried to stop him. 

For the life of her, she couldn’t think why he was so worked up this time; they’ve had things go wrong before. Hell, it wasn’t even the first time she or Richie got shot. One time while robbing a king pin, all three of them got shot. None of them figured there would be a guard in the giant safe; they all screwed up on that one. She had to help Richie dig a bullet out of Seth’s stomach that time. Gross. That was by far the worst outcome of any job they had done. He seemed less angry then they he did now, but then again, he was stuck in bed taking it easy for a few days. Richie wouldn’t let him leave, so she guessed he didn’t have the option to storm off.

Now it was just Kate and Richie stuck in their room, only it was noon, so she knew he would need to get some sleep soon. Then she would be all alone in a motel room. Not exactly how she planned on celebrating a successful heist. 

“What’s got him all worked up this time?” she asked.

“Fuck if I know,” said Richie as he flipped through the channels on the TV.

Kate got up and locked the door behind him, then grabbed a water from the mini-fridge for herself, and a beer for Richie. “He can’t really be that mad over a little graze, can he? Everything else went pretty smooth, and we got the diamonds.”

“I don’t know, Katie,” he shrugged. “He’s probably just worried.”

“About what?” 

“In case you haven’t noticed, Seth doesn’t have a whole lot of friends. I think the thought of losing one scares him.”

“So he’s mad you got shot?"

“No,” he said giving her a look. “I’m talking about you. He knows I’ll heal. You, not so much.”

“I’ll heal just fine, Richard.”

“This time. But he’s right, I fucked up. If that guard had a better first shot, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Seth’s pissed at me for being a fuck up, scared because he could have lost you, and pissed because you don’t seem to see how serious it is. I think that about sums up what’s going on in his head right now.”

“I know its serious, Richard, but I’d rather celebrate the win than think about the possible loss. We all know the risks involved, yet we do it anyway. I’m not a naïve kid anymore, and both of you need to realize that.”

He threw his hands up. “I never said you were. You asked why he was mad. I’m just giving you the answer.”

She paused. She didn’t want to fight with him. He wasn’t the one who stormed off, even though she was sure he was just as worried as Seth was about her getting shot. He might be better at hiding his emotions than his brother, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have any. His mistakes got her killed before, and she didn’t think he could handle it if it happened again.

“Hey “The Untouchables” is on. You wanna watch it with me? I’ll try not to over analyze it this time,” Richie said, giving her a half smile and patting the bed next to him. 

Kate rolled her eyes. She knew as hard as he tried, there was no way he couldn’t over analyze a movie. He always does, and so does Seth. As much as she teases them about it, she actually enjoys watching old movies with the brothers, listening to them argue over the smallest details. Unfortunately, with the sun high in the sky, it was only a matter of time before he fell into one of his deep sleeps. She knew he wouldn’t make it through the whole movie. 

She handed him the beer and sank into the bed.

“Of course I’ll watch it with you,” she said as she curled into his long frame, leaning her head on his shoulder and throwing her arm around his freshly healed stomach.

He tensed briefly before finally relaxing. In all the time they have known each other, they never watched a movie quite like this. Sometimes, back at the Jacknife, she’d toss her feet in his lap if it was just them, but she never got this close, this personal. It was a sign of intimacy, which is something they both struggled with when it came to the other.

Their relationship was odd. It was like they still didn’t know their boundaries, and neither seemed willing to test them, even though it's been three years since they met. There’s love there, an instant connection they felt when they first met by the pool at the Dew Drop Inn. Neither seemed to quite understand it at the time, but there was always something there. Things got weird after that, with the whole Santanico thing, the blood well, Kate dying, and Amaru taking over her body. It became too complicated, too strained. When everything was said and done, they were left in a strange place filled with confusion and tension. Kate was struggling with reality, and the brothers were struggling with trying to comfort her, and make up for the things that brought them there in the first place. What could have come to pass never did, and this is what they were left with. A relationship that was a cross between sibling affection, friendship, and strained romantic love. They had no idea how to proceed, so it became a stalemate with neither of them sure if they should cross that line.

While Richie knew he loved Kate, he had no idea where he stood. She’s the one who kissed him in the Twister, but she also told him there was no more love and she hoped he burned in Hell, as she lay dying at the well. He struggled with that phrase, that moment, until he saw her again as Amaru. A piece of himself he thought had died with her, was blooming again in his soul, and this time it was bigger and stronger than before. That's why no matter what anyone told him, he knew Kate was still in there somewhere, and he could never give up on her. He fought to get her back, even decided if his death would save her; he wouldn’t hesitate to give his life for hers. The thought of failing her again was heartbreaking and unacceptable. 

But now what? He didn’t know how to approach the situation. While she was suffering from those debilitating nightmares, all he wanted to do was comfort her. He always just wanted her to be happy, no matter what. But he still didn’t understand what that meant for them. He wanted her, but wouldn’t push it, wouldn’t even bring it up. He wasn’t sure if she felt the same way. How could someone as beautiful inside and out as she was love some fucked up freak like him? He didn’t think it was possible, and he didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable, or worse, lose her again. So he decided that any relationship with her was better than none, and fell into a safe and somewhat distant friendship.

This though, was what he craved. He loved the feeling of her wrapped around him. The warmth of her body tucked against the coolness of his skin, the scent of her shampoo filling his lungs. It was perfectly comfortable. It freaked him out a bit when she did things like this though. He wasn’t sure if she was trying to show him that she wanted him too, or if she was just looking for some comfort in a friend. She did things like this from time to time, and it made him question. 

When he did nice things for her, she would kiss him of the cheek to thank him. She did that for Seth too sometimes, so he figured it was just something she did. Regardless, he loved it when her lips seemed to linger on him just a bit. It made his heart beat speed up, which said a lot because it hardly beat at all nowadays. Sometimes she brushed against him in a way that got the same reaction, or gave him soft eyes and a sly smile which gave him a reaction somewhere lower than his heart. These things seemed to be happening more often lately and he desperately wanted that to mean something. He was tempted on more than one occasion to flirt back in case this was more than harmless flirting, but he had guessed wrong before with her, and didn’t want to be put in that situation again. He could have sworn that she was giving him all the right signals that night, and acted on it, only to be shot down. She pulled him to the dance floor, and wouldn’t let him leave. One song went by, two songs went by, three, then a slow song. He pulled her in close; slow dancing was something he could do. She held onto him so tight, leaning her head on his chest, when she looked up at him with those big, green, doe eyes, he thought for sure she felt the same way he did. But when he put his lips to hers, she pulled away, then backed away and left him standing on the dance floor calling his apologizes after her. 

Her being this close made him want to kiss her again, but he fought back the notion. He wanted to kiss her, really kiss her, since he saw her in Amancio’s office. For the first time he questioned if he was making the right decision. He had to fight his instincts there too, if he made the wrong move, Amancio could kill her. He needed to protect her first and foremost, get her away from that man. His carefully placed façade fell apart when Carlos shot her at the well though, and he wanted to turn her. He didn’t want to lose her, but thought that she would hate him for it. He couldn’t think clearly. He knew there was something about her when he met her by that pool, didn’t let himself really think about it because she was only seventeen at the time, but now that he was about to lose her forever, none of that mattered. What he wanted more than anything was to have her in his life, still did. That is why he wasn’t willing to risk it now. He didn’t care if that made him weak, he needed her. If he made the wrong move now, she could leave him, which would hurt him more than any bullet. So he let her do what she felt comfortable with, but never pushed her. If she wanted to cuddle against him, she could, he would never stop her. He would just enjoy the feeling of this moment, and dream of someday having more.

Kate was always aware of the connection between them, even if she didn’t understand what it was. She felt it first at the pool; he was just so easy to talk to. She was oddly comfortable around him from the beginning, somehow knowing he wasn’t going to hurt her. She felt it next in the RV when he took her hand to pray. That odd sensation of his skin on hers was back again, making both of their lips curve into small smiles regardless of the tension in the vehicle. She felt it even more at the Twister when he kissed her back; knew she felt something with the soft brush of his lips that she had never felt before. She wanted so much more in that moment, it scared her. She didn’t even have enough time to process though before Santanico arrived in their lives. She felt the rage of jealousy when Santanico showed him all that attention, dancing for him, touching him. The worst part was seeing him enjoy it. She thought she could never be that for him, and that hurt. But why? She just met him, and he kidnapped her and her family for Christ sake. She shouldn’t have feelings like that for him, but she did.

She missed him when he chose Santanico, and always wondered how things would have turned out if he came with her and Seth instead. Her heart fluttered when she saw him for the first time in months in Amancio’s office, and then was disappointed to find out he completely gave into his greed and betrayed everyone. She hated him in that moment, but also felt bad for him. She knew in her soul that Richie must have been lonely without his brother, and hurt so deeply that he just gave up. That didn’t stop her anger when she was shot though. For the first time, she let herself admit that it was love that she felt for him, in some way at least. And as the realization of her imminent death hit, she felt he betrayed her and she wanted him to hurt as badly as she did. But when she saw him while being trapped in her own body, she couldn’t deny that she wanted to be near him. She forgave him even before she glimpsed into his soul while Amaru consumed it. She saw the pain and struggle he went through as Amaru messed with his emotions, twisting them to get him to submit to her will. She felt his pain alongside him and she was helpless to stop it. It broke her to watch him suffer.

It has been two years now since Amaru, and their relationship was stagnate. She often found herself wondering if he still felt anything for her. He didn’t show any interest in her like that, it seemed more brotherly than anything. In all honesty, she wasn’t ready for anything more than that for a long time after, and she was grateful he never pushed for more. But now, as time passed by, she slowly found herself wanting things to change between them. She just wasn’t sure if too much time had passed by the time she realized what her feelings for him had become. They had plenty of fun together, hung out every day, but he stayed distant. Every time she tried to show him she was ready for more, he didn’t act on it. In fact, it seemed like it made him uncomfortable. She didn’t want to ruin what they had by pushing too much if his feelings had changed. 

Today though, she wanted a cuddle, even if it was brief. Hell, he took a bullet for her today. If that wasn’t worth some snuggling, what was? She was comfortable there by his side, it just felt right, he felt right. If she could only find a way to tell him that, maybe they had a chance. Maybe that was what he needed to reassure him that she did want him. That what she said at the well was anger, and that she regretted saying even before Amaru brought him back into her life. She wanted him to understand that, but could never bring herself to say the words out loud. She thought herself a coward, because she was afraid that even that wouldn’t be enough. What if he truly didn’t love her like that anymore? She couldn’t possibly expect him to just wait around for her while she slowly figured out what it was that she wanted. So she decided to just enjoy the moment as is, with his solid body against hers.

Only a few minutes later, he was already pointing things out about the movie, the actors, the script, the plausibility. She smiled knowing he couldn’t help himself. She loved that about him. He was an endless supply of weird facts and knowledge, and for whatever reason, she never got tired of it. 

“Hey, before I forget,” he said during a commercial. “There’s a cool little ice cream shop around the corner. Do you maybe want to get some tonight?”

“That sounds great, Richie. I’d love to get ice cream with you tonight,” she said smiling up at him. “Now there will be dinner first though, right?”

He chuckled. “Of course. I know what you’re like if you skip a meal.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He chuckled again. “Nothing. It’s just you’re a lot more pleasant with a full stomach.”

She lightly slapped his stomach at the jest. Touching his though reminded her he was shot in it earlier. She looked down at the red soaked, white shirt.

“You were planning on changing this before dinner right?”

He looked down where her hand was. He had forgotten all about his wound while bandaging hers. It didn’t even occur to him that he was still wearing his blood soaked clothes. 

“Well, I probably should, huh?” He said with a wry smile.

“Definitely. Maybe we could go with something a little less formal too. You know, no tie and no jacket. You do have stuff like that, right.”

“Some,” he smirked. “Your wish is my command, so less formal it is.”

She smiled up at him as the movie came back on.

“You know,” he said. “Robert De Niro had Al Capone’s actual tailor make him the same kind of underwear that Capone wore for this film. Weird right? Nobody ever saw it, but he felt it was necessary for the character.” 

His voice was relaxing, soothing as he rambled on. She found herself drifting into a lazy sleep, when suddenly she realized he wasn’t talking anymore. Sleep finally won out, and he was dead to the world. That didn’t mean she couldn’t stay here, lying against him for a little longer. She held him a little tighter, and soon she fell asleep herself, looking forward to spending time with him tonight. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Seth sat alone in the bar, beer in one hand and shot of whiskey in front of him. He needed time to think. It only took one slip up, he thought, and she would be out of his life forever. The realization of that today, made him think it wasn’t worth the risk anymore. He brought her into this life, and if he wasn’t careful he could lose her in a second. He already lost her once, and wasn’t sure he could handle it again.

Next to Richie, Kate was the only person who really meant anything to him. Though their relationship wasn’t perfect, they had come a long way since they first met, and became very close. He realized long ago that he put her through Hell the first few months they knew each other, and wished he could take it all back. He wasn’t dumb enough to think that was a possibility, so instead he tried to make up for it anyway he could. Letting her tag along on these jobs was just one thing he did for her, but maybe it wasn’t such a good idea after all. 

The way he treated her in Mexico, the things he made her do for him, they were all unforgivable. Yet, despite everything, she did forgive him, even grew to love him. How? He thought. How is this girl so pure and full of love that she could just forgive everything that happened? She had been through a lot since he came into her life. More than any teenager should, and she bounced back pretty well. She was the strongest person he had ever met, that he knew for sure.

When he first learned of her death, and the part Richie had to play in it, he crumbled on the inside. He had already come to the conclusion that one day he would fight for redemption in her eyes for the things he had done, but learning that he would never have the chance was crushing. It was then that he first realized he loved her, in his own way. Was it a romantic love? Yes, partially, but it was more than that. Her happiness and safety came first, and that was totally different for him. Up until then, other than the brotherly love he had for Richie, he thought that all other love was mostly lust, but that was not exactly what he felt for her. He did want her, even though he knew it was wrong, but there was more, and that particular need fell to the bottom of his list. She somehow wormed her way into his heart, like no woman ever had, and she remained there.

He spent the next six months after Kate’s death reminding Richie of what he did, and the pain he caused. Partly because he was angry with him, and partly because he knew how much it ate Richie up inside. Even though Richie was usually really good at hiding his emotions, Seth could see he had feelings for Kate too. They were obviously strong enough that they forced their way out of his incredibly thick wall. He thought he could use those feelings, whatever they were, to his advantage. He thought it would do Richie good to remember them, and they could help bring him back to humanity. Seth wanted him to remember that there were always consequences for his actions, and that it wasn’t just him who had to deal with them. He hopped it would stop him from becoming the monster he was well on his way to becoming. He still loved Richie no matter what, and didn’t want to lose him to that snake slithering around in his gullet. 

One night, during a particularly cruel and alcohol induced fight, he brought up Kate again to rub in his face. It was his secret weapon every time Richard got too full of himself and needed to get put back in his place. He was so full of hate in that moment that he took it farther than he usually did.

“You’re a selfish, greedy, little prick, you know that?” He shouted.

“For what?” Richie shouted back.

“For everything. You don’t give a shit about anyone do you? Not me, not anyone who got hurt tonight. You drag me into this Culebra bullshit night after night. Tonight you picked another fight over nothing, and got three people killed. Hell, you almost got me killed and you don’t seem the least bit shaken up. I’m your brother, God damn it. Your blood. So now you’re willing to risk my life so you get to, what, play lord of the snakes? Is this what you really want, Richard? I don’t.”

“You’re free to go whenever you want, brother. If you hate this so much.”

“I would go, but I’m afraid of what you’ll become if I leave. I know what kind of choices you make by yourself, Richard. Choices to throw everyone you know under the bus and kill innocent little girls,” he spat in anger.

“I did not kill Kate!” Richie shouted. “She should have trusted me, she would have never died.”

“Trust You?! How could she trust you?! You sold us all out to fulfill all your greedy little desires for power and control! You were going to sacrifice her brother, you son of a bitch! Her only family left. You acted like he was just another little pawn for you to play with.”

“I did not!”

“You did too! You lied to her, and when she figured it out, she acted without thinking. If you cared about her, or anyone else for that matter, you never would have kept her in the dark. You would have helped her get her brother back. But no, you were too busy thinking about yourself to care about her.”

“I was trying to protect her,” his voice cracked, like he was trying to fight back emotions he was not ready to feel. “I didn’t have enough time, Seth. I didn’t know she was a part of it. I never wanted anything to happen to her.”

“Yeah, well it did. You and your greed got her killed. How can you sleep at night?”

“I can’t,” he whispered after a slight pause, obviously fighting back the floodgate of feelings he wasn’t prepared for. 

Richie walked away then, walked straight out the back door of the Jacknife, and didn’t even look at his brother as he passed him. His face was stone, eyes shallow. 

Later that night, Seth roused from his slumber on the office couch. He took the elevator down to their living quarters. As he passed Richie’s room, he saw him through the crack in the open door. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, empty bottle of whiskey at his feet. He was slumped over, his face buried in his hands. Then he noticed an unfamiliar sound emanating from his brother. He was crying. Not sobbing, but full out crying, shaking, sniffling, and all. His stone-hearted brother was breaking down. He suddenly realized how odd his brother had been acting lately, on edge, spacey, distant. Even more than usual. He put two and two together, he really wasn’t sleeping. Something was keeping him awake at night. 

Was it all Kate? He knew Richie had feelings for her, but how strong were those feelings? Seth knew he loved Kate, but was it possible that Richie did too? It all started to come together. His starting fights, pushing the limits, taking unnecessary risks, his drinking, and his over extravagant new lifestyle. He was trying to hide what he was really feeling, maybe even from himself. It was guilt and loss. Richie didn’t connect easily with people, he knew that. Seth also saw that for some reason he had no problem getting close to Kate, noticed in the RV on the way to Mexico. That was something special, and it must have meant something to Richie to have that connection. It had to be big if Richie was crying over the loss of a girl, he didn’t even cry when Uncle Eddie died. Richie was in love with Kate. Seth never thought he would see the day that his emotionless brother fell in love. It just happened to be the same girl he was in love with, but now that girl they loved was gone and neither were dealing with it well.

The last time Seth had seen Richard cry was when they were kids. Their father had been more fierce than usual that night. Drunk and enraged at Richie for spilling grape juice on the carpet, he leapt to his feet and beat the shit out of Richie, pounding on him with his fists and kicking him in the stomach when he fell to the ground. Seth couldn’t take it, he ran to his brother’s aid. Their father didn’t appreciate that, and turned on the older sibling. He ended up hitting him so hard, Seth flew back and hit his head on the corner of the kitchen countertop. 

The next thing he knew, he was laying in his bed. He woke up to the sounds of his brother softly sobbing on the other side of their shared bedroom. He didn’t remember how he got there, but he sure as Hell remembered the beating Ray had given Richie.

“Richie,” he breathed. “You okay?”

Richie turned at the sound of his brother’s voice and ran to his side. 

“Seth? You’re okay?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be? You’re the one who got his wrath tonight.”

“You came to help me, dad hit you so hard you flew back and hit your head. You never got back up. You’ve been laying here for three hours, Seth. I thought I lost you.”

“You can’t get rid of me that easy,” Seth said with a forced smile as the memory finally came back to him.

“It’s all my fault. If I had been more careful, I wouldn’t have pissed him off. You wouldn’t have needed to come to my rescue again, and you wouldn’t have nearly died because of me. I’m sorry, Seth. I’ll try harder,” he sobbed.

With that he started full out crying, something neither brother did often. If their father ever saw them cry he would “beat the sense back into them”, to show them what it meant to be a man.

“I’m here for you, Buddy. No way that old man can take me away from you. It’s you and me, always.”

Now that he’s really thinking about it, Ray was dead only a few months later. He found out that Richie killed him while they were in the labyrinth, but it didn’t occur to him until now, three years later while sitting on this bar stool, that that specific incident might have had a significant part to play in his death. Richie said he did it to protect Seth; maybe almost losing him was the final straw. 

After he saw Richie crying, really crying at the Jacknife that night, he realized his feelings for Kate might be stronger than he initially thought. He knew Richie cared about her, and that her death ate him alive, but it was obviously more than that. While their interactions were limited to only one night to his three months with her, he remembered how soft and gentle Richie was to her. He even yelled at Seth in the RV when he started yelling at Kate, telling him it wasn’t her fault. He also ran into them kissing in a back room at the Twister, and when Kate ran off after, Richie quickly followed her, concern in his voice. Why hadn’t he seen it before? Richie never made a move on a girl before, he should have known then.

When the Amaru thing happened, it was Richie who wouldn’t stop talking about her like Kate was still in there. Seth on the other hand, wasn’t ready to lose her again. He couldn’t bring himself to believe that she was in there. Richie was adamant though, no matter what people kept telling him. He needed to rescue her, it would be his redemption. He needed her to be okay, and he wasn’t giving up on her. Seth began to see just how much Richie actually loved Kate. His desperation and the lengths he would go to get her back made it pretty clear. 

Since then, all Richie did was prove that he loved her, again and again. Kate seemed to be oblivious, which Seth just couldn’t believe. From the moment she met Richie she could tell he was “a tortured soul”. She figured him out easily enough, better than anyone else. So why couldn’t she see this? It was blatantly obvious to anyone with eyes.

It was clear to Seth that Kate loved Richie too. And as much as it pained him, it was obvious that she loved him more than she loved Seth. Well, maybe not more, but differently. She loved him, he knew that, but she was in love with Richard. No surprise to Seth, Richie was just as oblivious as Kate about it. Then again, Richie was never good at reading other people, so he would have been shocked if this was the one thing he actually picked up on.

Getting back to what happened today though. It was Richard’s fault that Kate got shot, and she just forgave him, like it was no big deal. She always did, for everything. Things were getting too risky. It was the second time she was shot since they started this thing, and that was two more times than he was comfortable with. How could she not see how big of a deal this was? Didn’t she understand it would kill him to lose her? That it would kill Richie to lose her? She was far too important to both of them, the only other person who ever really mattered to them. 

He took his shot of whiskey and motioned to the bartender for another. He slammed that one too, and had him pour a third.

Those two were idiots, he thought. In the two years since Amaru, all he’s seen them do it flirt with each other in ways the other idiot didn’t notice. He noticed though, and it was disturbing. At first he thought it was kind of funny. They were both so awkward about it. How two people could be so oblivious to the world around them, he would never understand. Sometimes it pissed him off. He loved her too, but she only had eyes for Richie, who only had eyes for her. It made him feel kind of left out in a weird way. They were the two people he loved most in this world, and he was stuck on the sidelines.

Over the last year Seth had been dropping little hints, and making little comments about their obvious feeling for each other to both of them. He mostly got eye rolls; that was if the hint didn’t go over their heads completely. He was hoping that all the clues he gave would get at least one of them to make a move. This gross, junior high type flirting was starting to get on his nerves. Sometimes he wanted to shake them, screaming just do it already, but he never actually did.

He loved both of them though, no matter how tired he was of this never ending cycle. And oddly enough, he realized that his relationship with both was similar. It was a combination friend, brother, and often father. How he ended up in such a position, he’ll never know, but it worked. They both needed all three from him from time to time, and he was happy to provide what he could.

As all three of those things though, a slightly inebriated Seth decided enough was enough. They could have lost Kate today. That made him realize how short life really is. He wanted, no needed, them to experience a life full of the love the other had to give before it was all over. It was time to push them together, kicking and screaming if he had to. He figured Kate would need the smaller nudge, Richard had a thicker skull. He had the perfect opportunity, he thought. Richard would most likely sleep during the ride home tomorrow. With nobody else to distract her, Kate would be forced to listen to him. After all, he wanted them to be happy more than anything. They deserved that.

Then a beautiful blonde sat next to him at the bar. It was time to stop thinking about their needs, and focus on his. After all, the solution to his needs just walked into the bar. Poppa needed some lovin’ too, and unlike those idiots, he was definitely going after it.

“Well hey there,” he said giving her the best Seth Gecko smile he could muster.


	2. Chapter 2: Surprise Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an entertaining car ride, the trio make it back to Jacknife Jed's for Richie's surprise party.
> 
> Tidbit:  
> Kate woke up screaming, drenched in sweat. It took her a moment to realize where she was, and that it was just a dream. Amaru wasn’t back in her skin, and she didn’t take out her loved ones one by one while pretending to be Kate. She was safe in their motel room. Alone? Neither of the brothers were by her side. She can’t remember the last time she woke up like this and they weren’t there with her. In fact, she was pretty certain it never happened before. Every night she woke up like that, she found herself wrapped in the arms of one of them. Most of the time it was Richie.

Kate woke up screaming, drenched in sweat. It took her a moment to realize where she was, and that it was just a dream. Amaru wasn’t back in her skin, and she didn’t take out her loved ones one by one while pretending to be Kate. She was safe in their motel room. Alone? Neither of the brothers were by her side. She can’t remember the last time she woke up like this and they weren’t there with her. In fact, she was pretty certain it never happened before. Every night she woke up like that, she found herself wrapped in the arms of one of them. Most of the time it was Richie.

When she would finally come back to herself, Richie would be holding her tight, rocking her back and forth gently, and whispering to her that everything was okay. Seth would either be sitting at the edge of her bed or leaning in the door frame, making sure she was okay. They would stay with her until she calmed down; sometimes until she fell back asleep just to be sure she was going to be alright. Whatever reservations she had about choosing to stay with the brothers melted away as they repeatedly ran to her side in the middle of the night. They never brought it up either. Never asked questions or complained. They were just there for her, which is exactly what she needed. 

She knew it had to be stressful for them, but she didn’t realize the toll it was taking on them though until about four months in. She caught something, had a fever of 104 for three days. She was in and out of consciousness, and had nightmare after fever induced nightmare. Reality became blurred, and the brothers were on constant watch and hardly slept while they cared for her. She woke up in Richie’s arms as usual. Seth was nowhere to be found, finally falling asleep himself. She started coming to herself hearing Richie whisper to her how she was strong, and that she just needed to keep fighting, and everything was going to be alright. For the first time in days, she was awake enough to really understand what was happening. She tilted her head to look at him, and saw tears forming in his eyes. He wasn’t crying yet, but they were threatening to pour out. This is something she never thought she would see from a Gecko, especially the younger one.

It made her think about everything she saw in Richie’s soul when Amaru was feasting on it. She remembered looking at the tearstained face of a young Richie in the mirror of the bathroom. He was picked on so much at school. Kids didn’t understand him; he was awkward and too smart for his own good. She saw their father hold a gun to either of the boy’s heads to encourage the other to do better at whatever task he was forcing them to complete. He would put one bullet in, spin the chamber, cock it, and then place it against the other brother’s head. He even pulled the trigger on several different occasions when they weren’t fast enough, proving just how serious he was. She even saw herself in his soul, the way he saw her. She looked angelic in his memories. She felt his desperation as he saw her shot by Carlos, and felt his heart break as she told him to burn in Hell. The last thing she heard was his thoughts before he passed out, “and dying in the arms of a beautiful woman”. He was prepared to die that night, to save that woman and her son. Instead, Amaru tortured him for three days.

The sensitive side of Richie that Kate saw hidden deep within his soul was forcing itself out now, regardless of his trying to force it back. He saw her looking at him, cleared his throat, and looked away. She put her hand on his face, and turned it back to hers. One lone tear had made its way down his cheek.

“Richie?” she whispered in a hoarse voice.

“I’m so sorry Kate.”

“For what?”

“For everything.”

She reached for him, wrapping her arms around his neck just as the rest of the tears joined the first one. He buried his face in her neck, and started apologizing for everything that ever happened between them, starting from kidnapping her family to get across the border. Stating that if he hadn’t fucked everything up in Abilene, they could have gotten across without them, it was all his fault. That led to the death of her father, and her brother becoming a monster. Then for leaving her with Seth for three months in Mexico, where she was forced to help him shoot up, and was eventually left all alone to find her way home. Then for her having to bury her friend in her family backyard after her brother killed her. Then for her getting shot, which was his fault because he was so greedy she couldn’t trust in him anymore. That led to her being possessed by Amaru, and suffering like that for months. Even now she was suffering, and it was all his fault. 

It was her turn to comfort him. She could never blame him as much as he blamed himself. The realization of how much he was suffering alongside her made her appreciate how much he was there for her even more. Without fail, he stayed by her side, no matter what he was feeling. He always put her first. 

That night was the first time since Amaru that Kate felt she was ready for love. The first moment she realized she was ready to let him in. She wasn’t ready for everything yet, certainly not romantic love, but she wanted to be closer to him. It wasn’t until much later that she realized exactly how close she wanted to get to Richard. But still that night was a changing point in all of their relationships. She tried to focus on getting better after that, for him and his brother. 

Thinking of all that made her feel empty now that he wasn’t there by her side. Having that thought made her feel selfish for even thinking it. What gave her the right to expect so much from him? Why should he have to suffer with her every time? Didn’t he deserve time by himself where he didn’t have to coddle her? Both brothers did so much for her, she was being so self-centered, she thought. 

She laid there, huddled in the sheets until she heard the door click open. It was Richie, probably coming back after feeding on a stranger he deemed as a “dark soul”. He tried to only eat “bad” people. He said they didn’t taste great, and seeing into their souls sometimes left him depressed, but he felt better knowing they were not worth crying over. She could understand, and admired his efforts to be a better person despite his situation. He needed to feed, so why not possibly prevent a crime or get justice for someone in the process. The only upside to feeding on these people was that he very often picked up useful skills from them. At least that is what he told her.

Richie slumped onto the couch on the other side of the room, grabbing the remote on his way down. This was typical for him, as most rooms they got only had two beds. They always let Kate have her own bed, and the brothers shared the other. After he fed though, Richie would usually take the couch so he wouldn’t wake Seth up. That was one of the reasons she knew he was secretly a very considerate guy, not that he wanted anyone to know that.

“Richie?” She said in a soft voice.

“Hmm?” He replied, turning to look over in her direction.

“Will you lay with me for a bit?”

“You have another nightmare?” he asked, concern clear in his voice.

“Yes,” she said softly.

“Seth never made it back, huh?”

She shook her head no.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he made his way over to her. “I should have been here for you. I should have waited to see if he came back before I left.”

“It’s okay. You needed to feed. You were shot earlier, and I know you can’t heal fully until you do.”

“I still should have waited.”

“That could be all night, you know Seth. He probably picked up some girl in a bar by now. Besides you’re here now,” she added trying to make him understand she appreciates that he’s here at all.

Way to go Kate, she thought. She was making him feel bad for doing something for himself instead of waiting on her. It wasn’t even something he wanted to do; it was something he needed to do. When did she become so self-indulged? He spent all night doing things that she liked. He took her out for dinner, and let he pick the place like he always did. He took her out for ice cream and bought her a double scoop in a waffle cone. After ice cream she wanted to take a walk in the park, he obliged as usual, listening to her blab on and on about how classes were going this semester. Hell, when they got back to the motel he wanted to watch some western, but instead she forced him to dance to some of her pop music with her. Here he is again, dropping what he wanted to do to help her because she asked. What was wrong with her?

He slid in next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, rubbing his fingers gently up and down her arm. She felt selfish for wanting this so bad, but she really did need it. Those nightmares were always so real, and having someone holding her close always helped bring her back into the here and now. She wanted him to know that she really did appreciate everything he did for her, so she wrapped her arms around him too and nestled her head into his chest. He smelled like cigarettes and whiskey. It shouldn’t be a comforting scent, but it was a very Richie scent. She called it his nighttime scent. After he got ready for the day, he always smelled like pomade and cologne, but by the end of the night it was always cigarettes and whiskey. It was just part of him, and it made her feel safe. She wouldn’t change it for the world.

The TV gave off a soft glow on the other side of the room. Neither of them was really watching it, and neither talked. They just sat in the comfort of one another. It was usually weird laying this close to him, because he was often cool to the touch, and his heart beat was incredibly slow. It was a constant reminder that he was no longer human. Right now though, he was kind of warm. It was the fresh blood pumping through his veins, kind of creepy when she really thought about it. Even so, Kate slowly started to feel like herself again. He just had that effect on her. It was like she felt at home when he was near. 

Regardless of the immense amount of comfort she was currently feeling while tucked against Richie, she couldn’t help thinking of Seth. It was nearly five in the morning and he hadn’t made it back yet. She hoped he was okay. They had a long journey ahead of them as they were heading back to the Jacknife today. They had to leave by a certain time if they wanted to arrive on time. She and Seth had set up a surprise birthday party for Richie at the bar; well mostly she set it up while Seth complained. It would be Sunday night, and the Jacknife would be closed, perfect for a private surprise party. She hoped he would like it; the Gecko’s weren’t big on birthdays. Last year, she didn’t even know it was Richie’s birthday until the end of the night when Seth said “Happy birthday, buddy” before he headed off to bed. She had no time to set anything up. She had to beg Richie to tell her when Seth’s birthday was, so she could at least do something for him. It turned out it was only three weeks after his. That meant the brothers were just shy of a year apart. No wonder they were so close.

She wrote the dates of their birthdays on her calendar. She was gonna get both of them this year, whether they wanted it or not. It was like pulling teeth to get Seth to help her set this up for Richie, he didn’t see the point. They didn’t get birthday parties as kids, their father didn’t care enough. After they started living with Uncle Eddie though, he forced parties on them. They were usually small get-togethers though, especially Richie’s. He never really had friends, so it mostly just ended up being the three of them and some cake.

Kate didn’t want that for him though, not this year. It was his 30th, and she wanted him to know he was important, and that people cared. Unfortunately, Richie still didn’t have a lot of friends, as he seemed to make enemies everywhere he went. Even the remaining members of the “super friends” who saved the world didn’t really like him all that much. She knew Scott would come, at the very least to see her. She also invited Freddie and Kisa, but doubted they were going make it. Even if she could find Carlos, she wasn’t going to invite him. Richie hated him as much as he hated Richie. Plus he shot Kate, and she still hadn’t forgiven him for it, even if he did help save the world. At least she could count on everyone at the bar to show up. They were all partiers, and this was the perfect excuse to party. Plus the booze was on the house, so that was even more incentive.

She looked at the man drifting off next to her, and smiled. She was so excited for him. It was going to be his first surprise party. She couldn’t think of a better way to show him he was appreciated. She couldn’t wait to see the look on his face. It was going to be a long car ride back while trying to not to let on that there was something big waiting for him at home.

Just then, Seth stumbled back into the room and threw himself face first on the empty bed. He looked frazzled. She could tell from his tussled hair, and shirt buttons in the wrong holes, that he had indeed found himself a lady friend for the night. It was not that uncommon, he was good looking and charming as hell when he wanted to be. 

“Hello to you too,” she said. He replied with a grumble that she couldn’t make out. Within seconds, he was snoring away. It was going to be a very long day.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By noon Kate was getting hungry. They had already eaten most of the snacks they brought, leaving her with only one fun-sized bag of Doritos for breakfast. She wanted to get lunch before they hit the road, and they only had so much time if they wanted to make it back to the bar by 7. She had already showered and dried her hair, so now it was time to get them going. Normally Seth was easier to get up that Richie, who was no longer a morning person. But when Seth drank, he was sometimes worse than his brother. 

After several attempts at gently waking him up by calling his name and shaking him, she elbowed him hard in the side.

“Oww. What the fuck, Kate?”

“Get up. You need to get ready so we can get there on time.”

“Take it easy, Princess,” he said looking at the clock on the nightstand. “We have more than enough time.”

“Yeah, but I want to get something to eat before we head out. Plus by the looks of you, you need something solid in your belly before we drive anywhere.”

He rolled his eyes, grunted, and flopped out of bed. Before long, she heard him turn on the shower. Now it was time for thing two. 

“Richie,” she said as she sat on the bed next to him. “Time to get up, sunshine.”

“Sunshine?” he muttered. “Isn’t that more of a you nickname?” 

His eyes fluttered open as he stretched his long limbs. Then he rolled over on his side to face her. All of Seth’s loud complaining and her attempts to wake the older Gecko must have woken him up, because it’s never this easy to get him up in the morning. 

“How are you feeling?” he asked. 

“Hungry,” she replied with a smile.

“You know what I mean,” he said smiling back. “Are you gonna be okay?”

“Yeah. I feel fine. I’ll be better though once you get your ass out of that shower and we can head out for breakfast.”

His smiled broadened. “Hanger management issues this morning I see. I told you, you were better with a full stomach.” 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After lunch, Richie ran to the car to avoid burning in the afternoon sun. He crawled into the backseat so he could sprawl out. He usually took the front passenger seat, but wanted to sleep some more on the way back. He was always exhausted in the afternoons. 

That left Seth and Kate to fill the silence. It wasn’t that difficult, as Seth seemed to talk almost as much as his brother did in car rides. At least she didn’t have to listen to them argue for hours on end, it always ended up like that for some reason. Seth conversations were also usually easier for her to follow than Richie conversations. As much as she enjoyed talking to Richie, sometimes he brought up scientific stuff she didn’t really understand, and when he realized they didn’t get it, he would try harder to explain it in a way they could understand. He just would never give up on topics that fascinated him, no matter how much Seth groaned about it. This conversation with Seth was easy to understand, however, it was mostly just him describing in detail what he did last night. Not exactly the kind of conversation Kate wanted to have.

“She was flexible as Hell. Used to be a cheerleader too. He boyfriend of three years just dumped her for her best friend. Can you believe that? Talk about right place, right time. Easy pickings.”

“You’re disgusting, do you know that? Taking advantage of a woman going through a hard time.”

“Whoa now, hold on. I gave her exactly what she needed,” he said in mock offense. “You see, this is how adults solve their problems, Kate. You get wasted and fuck, and bam your problems disappear for the night. Everyone needs a break once in awhile, and that is what I provided. Sweet release. Followed by another release, and one more after that.” 

Now he was flashing that classic Seth Gecko smile, the one that he used when he was trying to charm the pants off you. Kate thought that this time though, it wasn’t about being charming, it was because he was just so full of himself, he couldn’t help it. He really did think of himself as some sort of sex god. 

“There are better ways to solve your problems, Seth.”

“If there are, Honey, I can’t think of any,” he laughed. “You’ll understand some day, kid. You know, when you finally decide to sit at the adult’s table.”

“If you’re referring to my virginity again Seth, that’s not fair. You know how I feel about that.”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s for someone special, blah blah blah. I get it, it’s a big deal for you, but when are you going to meet this someone special, huh? All you do is hang around with me and that loser sleeping in the back. It doesn’t sound like your trying too hard to me. Unless maybe you’re waiting to hop on the Seth Express,” he said winking and pointing at his junk. “In that case. . .”

“Real funny.”

“Or maybe you already met someone special, and you’re not telling me. Do I know him?”

“Shut up, Seth.”

“Alright, fine. Speaking of someone special,” he said wagging his eyebrows at her. “What all do you have planned for Sleeping Beauty tonight? Please tell me someone will be jumping out of a cake. I’ve always wanted to see that in real life.”

“No,” she said keeping a mental note for Seth’s upcoming birthday. “There will be a cake, but nobody will be jumping out of it.”

“Okay. Please tell me you girled the shit out of this then. There has to be balloons and streamers, right? Possibly even a banner, a big banner, with his face on it, like a candid shot right? He would be so embarrassed if it was way over the top. Oh, a piñata?”

“No piñata. Do you think he really would want one? Should I have Peaches go pick one up?”

“I think you’ll be fine without one. Half of those assholes are strong enough to break it with one swing anyway. It would kinda ruin it.”

“Good point, I guess. I had them get balloons and confetti guns though. And yes, there will be a banner, but it doesn’t have his picture on it. It just says “Happy 30th Birthday Richie” on it. I don’t think it’s over the top. You don’t think he’ll really be embarrassed, do you? I want him to like it. He deserves a good, old fashion birthday party among friends and family. He never really had one before.”

“Oh yeah, he’ll be embarrassed, but I’m sure he’ll love it knowing you put it together for him, Princess. You know because you’re the apple of his eye and all,” he said looking her in the eyes and grinning. 

She rolled her eyes at him and tried ignoring that little comment. He thought he was being funny. He always had something to say about her and Richie.

“You’re right,” he said, continuing the conversation. “He deserves a chance to feel normal. Lord knows we never had the opportunity growing up. I’m sure everything will turn out great.”

He wasn’t lying; he knew Kate would give Richie the party he deserved. She had been planning it for a month, asking him a thousand questions about what Richie liked. Did he like chocolate cake, or did he prefer yellow cake? Or was it white cake? Butter cream or whipped cream? His favorite color is blue right? Should we get a DJ? What kind of hors d’oeuvres should we get? Do you think he would prefer them to be fancy or casual? And on and on. She was very thorough in the planning of this event, like their lives depended on her getting every detail right. 

He loved that about her. She cared so much, especially when it came to Richie. It hurt a bit that it wasn’t him that she fussed over, but he knew Richie deserved it. They would be good for each other. He made her happy, and she made him a better man. This is what he always wanted for his brother, a lovely girl who treated him right despite his “uniqueness”. One who loved him no matter what, and someone that made him feel normal. Someone he could love with all his heart. He knew that somewhere in there his brother had it in him, if he could just find the right woman. Kate was perfect for him in so many ways. 

“What did you get him anyway?” he asked cutting her off. He hadn’t realized she was still talking about the party.

“Oh,” she blushed. “It’s nothing really. Just a small gift.”

“Okay,” he added sacristy. “From the look on your rosy cheeked face, it’s got to be a special gift. Am I right? Like a special gift for a special someone,” he elbowed her and winked at that. “Its lingerie isn’t it? Something black and lacy?”

“No,” she spat in horror.

He couldn’t help laughing at her reaction. She was so cute when she got embarrassed, especially when it was about Richie and sex. He liked to do this to her at least once a week. It never got old. Plus the other benefit was that he hoped it was pushing her to think about Richie in that way. It was a win win situation. He got a good laugh, and the possibility that they would just get it on already, and he would stop having to watch this little dance between them as they tried to figure their shit out.

“Okay, okay,” he chuckled. “It’s massage oil and scented candles, right? That’ll work too.”

“You know it isn’t.”

“Well gee, Princess. I don’t know what other sexy gifts you can get your “special someone” on his birthday. Especially one as important as this one,” he said turning to her and raising his eyebrows in mockery.

“He’s not my special someone, Seth. So I didn’t get him a sexy gift.”

“Then what did you get him?”

“You’ll laugh if I tell you.”

“No I won’t.”

“Yes you will,” she sighed. “You’ll see it tonight. What did you get him?”

“Booze, duh,” he laughed.

They both smiled at each other, and continued with their conversation until they pulled into Jacknife Jed’s nearly empty parking lot. They were finally home. Kate couldn’t wait to see everyone, well except for Lindsey. She hated Lindsey, and wished she could have somehow not invited her to the party at all. But since the entire crew was invited, it was impossible to not include her.

This past fall they hired a new Culebra bartender at the Jacknife, Lindsey. From the very beginning Kate thought she was fake, and she was always hanging all over Richie. Always touching him, laughing at his stupid jokes, and all around acting like she owned him. She also treated Kate like shit, the feeling was obviously mutual. 

Kate woke Richie up and walked with him to the door arm in arm. The lights were off, just like she asked. She didn’t want him to suspect anything. That’s why she had the whole crew park around back, the cars would give it away. 

He unlocked the door, none the wiser, and as soon as he opened it the lights shot on and everyone yelled “surprise!” in unison. Confetti fell from the sky all around them. He quickly pulled Kate behind him out of instinct, ready for the oncoming attack. He felt kind of stupid realizing it was just the crew, and they were not in any danger. He had no clue what was going on until he saw the big banner hanging over the bar.

“Kate?” he asked somewhat annoyed.

“Yes, Richie?”

“What the fuck is this?”

“It’s your birthday party, silly. Happy birthday!” She said hugging his arm.

He looked down at her, embarrassment clear on his face. She beamed up at him in return. Seeing her this happy, regardless of his embarrassment made him smile though. He concluded it must have been her idea. It had Kate written all over it.

“Cheer up, brother. You know you love it,” said Seth as he pushed past them. He was ready for a drink. No surprise there.

As usual, Lindsey bombarded poor Richie as soon as he walked through the door. Yelling surprise again and throwing her arms around his neck. Hanging from him like a monkey in a tree and giving him a big kiss, leaving red lipstick smeared on his cheek. God, Kate hated her. What was she doing, trying to mark him as hers? Not if Kate had anything to do with it. 

After Lindsey was done launching her attack on the stunned Richie, Kate grabbed him by the hand and pulled him over to the bar. She snatched a napkin from the counter, dipped it in water, and rubbed that crap right off of his face. He seemed pleased to let her get it off. 

“That’s better,” she said inspecting her work. “Now go socialize with your guests,” she said as she pushed Richie towards a gathered group of party goers. He would just have to try to be more social since it was his party. 

“Un-fucking-believable,” chimed in Seth as set his beer back on the bar top.

“What?” Asked Kate.

“My baby brother is the center of some weird as shit cat fight, and he doesn’t even know,” he forced through a sudden laughing spell. “He is living every man’s dream, and is too fucking stupid to take advantage of it. Why can’t this shit happen to a more deserving man, such as myself?”

“There’s no cat fight, Seth,” she said annoyed. “I just didn’t want him walking around with that on his face all night. I’m sure he didn’t either.”

“And the eye rolls and glares just come free I guess,” he chuckled.

She rolled her eyes at him one last time and turned to leave the counter. She saw Scott and Kisa chatting at a table, and headed over to them.

“I’m glad you guys could make it,” she said as he gave each of them a hug.

She wasn’t super close to Kisa, clearly they had a difficult past. She is the reason all this happened to begin with. She also mistreated Richie when he was “dating” her. Kate knew she really hurt him, even if he wouldn’t say it. But after the Manola incident, and all her help defeating Amaru, Kate really tried to forgive her. Over the last two years she even started considering her a friend. It’s not like she could call many women friends nowadays anyway. At least Kate didn’t have to pretend with her, like she did with the few girls she talked to at school.

“You know I wouldn’t miss a chance to hang out with my big sister,” said Scott. “We don’t do it as much as we should.”

He was right, with his band touring around the country, it feels like they never see each other anymore. He would stop by the bar when he could, but he was usually pretty busy. She didn’t make it out to see him as much as she should either. When she started taking classes at the local college last semester, it made it even more difficult to get away.

The three of them talked for a bit, but Kate couldn’t help but watch Richie as he tried to socialize. He was really awkward, even though he knew everyone here. At least he was putting in an effort. Usually he just barked out orders, and said dickish things. She could tell that for the most part, the crew really liked him anyway. He could be fun sometimes, and he was oddly understanding when it came down to it. He was a good boss, even if he wasn’t the best friend, and they respected him for it. It made her proud in a weird way.

Kate observed as Lindsey seemed to follow him from group to group, kind of like a stalker. He only talked to her so much, even though she kept joining into all of his conversations. When she was pulled away from him by a coworker, she stared at him from across the room, and kept trying to get his attention back. Kate thought it was pretty sad actually, but only so much since she really was a bitch.

Luckily when Richie and Seth came by Kate, Scott, and Kisa, Lindsey stayed away. She hated Kate as much as Kate hated her. A small, petty part of Kate even enjoyed the holes Lindsey was burning into her over Richie’s shoulder. So naturally, she was as flirty as she could be, and touched him every chance she got. She stroked his arm when laughing at a joke he made, rubbed his upper back when he seemed to need a little confidence, and even wiped some sauce from his face with her thumb after he ate one of the classy hors d’oeuvres she picked out. She told herself it was all for Lindsey’s benefit, but if she was honest with herself, she knew she would probably have done the same even if the other woman wasn’t there. She liked encouraging Richie when he was trying to be nice to others, and enjoyed fussing over him sometimes; making sure his hair was in order, his tie was straight, and on more than one occasion, cleaning blood from his face.

She could almost see the steam bursting out of Lindsey’s ears as an alcohol lubed Richie put his arm around Kate’s waist as he chatted with the group. That particular gesture had more of an effect on Kate than she liked to admit. Without even realizing she was doing it, she moved in closer for more contact, wrapping her arms around him, and leaning her head on his shoulder as she did. She closed her eyes and lavished in the feeling of him so close. The feeling of his deep voice reverberating through his chest was almost too much.

When she finally opened her eyes, she noticed the raised eyebrows on Seth, Kisa and Scott. Richie seemed just as confused as the others, but tried to keep talking to keep it from getting awkward. She quickly dropped her hands from him and took a step away. His hand seems to linger on her hip as long as possible though, like he enjoyed the contact as much as she did. Her cheeks flushed with the sudden embarrassment of losing herself in front of them. 

Luckily, nobody said anything about it, and the conversation soon continued like it never happened. 

Kisa chuckled next to Kate. She was watching Lindsey glare at Kate from across the room. Richie looked at her curiously, clearly oblivious to the situation behind him, then went on explaining “good” music to Scott. 

“She really doesn’t like you, does she?” Kisa asked, as Seth pulled Richie away from his conversation with Scott.

“Nope. No real loss though.”

“You have something she wants,” she said smiling.

“What are you talking about?”

“Richard’s attention,” she said with that smirk still present on her face. “She wants him, but he only has eyes for you.”

Kate went red. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m sorry. I must have been imagining you two wrapped around each other,” she said in a voice littered with sarcasm. “Of course you do. She knows it too. Richard is a fool for you, Kate. Always has been. Even when he was with me.” She paused. “From the looks of it, you feel the same way he does. So what are you going to do about that, Kate? You gonna make a move?”

Just then, Scott walked back over, carrying three glasses of punch. He handed one to each of them, then held his glass up in a cheers. Kate was glad for the distraction, the conversation with Kisa was becoming uncomfortable. She didn’t like Kisa making assumptions about her and Richie, and she sure as Hell didn’t like thinking about Richie being with her. She, for the most part, forgave Kisa for a lot of the things she did, but thinking about what she did to him, somehow was unforgivable. Plus she didn’t like thinking of the things they must have done together.

“I’m playing a show next weekend not that far from here,” Scott said bringing Kate out of her head. “You two should come check it out. You’ve never seen the band Kisa, and Kate you haven’t come out since last year. There’s a good opening act this time. They play 80’s hair metal covers.”

“I don’t know what that means,” said Kisa with a confused look on her face.

Kate and Scott both laughed at that. Of course she wouldn’t know what 80’s hair metal was, she was locked up in a Mayan temple until a few years ago. Kate was sure that wasn’t the type of music they played there.

“Trust me,” said Scott, “You’ll like it. It’ll be fun. I’ll get a ticket or two for you before you leave.”

They continued talking, never bringing up the awkward conversation they had before Scott saved to night with the punch. It was turning into a pretty fun night. The drinks were flowing, and everyone was having a good time. Richie was even in a good mood, throwing knives with his brother on the other side of the bar, surrounded by some of the guys.

Kate looked at her phone, and decided it was about time to bring the cake out. She excused herself to go get it from the kitchen, lit the “3” and “0” candles, and brought it out to the bar. Everyone gathered around it and sang happy birthday to a somewhat humiliated Richie. He was so uncomfortable, it was adorable to Kate.

When he just stood there after the song, Seth slapped him on the back of the head and said, “Blow out the candles, you idiot.” 

Kate followed that by taking his hand and saying, “Don’t forget to make a wish first.”

He obliged by closing his eyes briefly, then leaning down to blow out the candles. Then it was time for presents. 

Richie seemed even more embarrassed when people started handing him brightly wrapped boxes, and bags over flowing with tissue paper. He was so awkward about it, it was funny to watch. He was given an assortment of tie clips, bolo ties, liquors, and fine cigars from the crew. Kisa got him a nice set of custom throwing knives, while Scott handed him a card with two tickets to his show next weekend for him and Seth. 

“I know how much you enjoy my music,” he said with a smartass smile on his face.

“Thanks,” Richie said flatly with a forced smile.

“Wonderful,” said Seth with the same forced smile. “Okay, okay, brother. My turn. Here’s to my baby brother, I know this was on your list. Happy birthday, Buddy.”

Richie pulled a bottle out of the bag Seth handed him. It was a bottle of “Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve” bourbon. 

“Holy fuck, brother! You and I definitely will be trying this out later.”

“You’re damn right we will. You didn’t think that was only for you, did you?” he said going in for a big, bear hug, slapping his brother on the back.

The next gift was Kate’s. After seeing the expensive gifts from Kisa and Seth, Kate was starting to wonder if hers was good enough. 

He carefully opened the wrapping paper of the little gift. When he saw what it was, a smile spread from ear to ear. It was a blu-ray copy of “The Princess Bride”, a favorite of theirs. He introduced her to the movie on one of their “working vacations”, while they killed time in their motel room. Since then, they watched it every time it was on TV. She always found it odd that he had practically every other movie on DVD or blu-ray, but didn’t have this one. When she saw it in the store, she immediately thought of him, and grabbed it.

“Thanks Katie,” he said as he pulled her into a hug, something he never did.

It took her by surprise because she never saw him hug anyone but Seth, and even then Seth initiated almost all of them. True he held her when she had those nightmares, but this was different. He only hugged her one other time like this, but even that was done in private. It must be the large amount of alcohol he consumed during the party, she thought, for him to be so open.

“Now we can watch it anytime we want,” he whispered in her ear.

Kate wasn’t sure if it was the champagne and rum punch she had, or the shock of his embrace, but his warm breath on her neck gave her shivers in all the right places. She didn’t want him to let go, in fact she kind of needed his support at the moment as her knees grew weak. God, he felt good right now, she thought, but he pulled away and kissed her lightly on the cheek. A heat spread from that spot on her cheek down to that certain place between her legs. She hoped no one noticed her sudden arousal. He was having an overwhelming effect on her in the last few days.

Richard went back to opening the last few gifts, oblivious to the effect he had on her. When all seemed settled, Lindsey grabbed Richard by the tie, and dragged him over to a chair in front of the stage. She presented him with her gift, which was apparently a lap dance in front of everyone. It was disgusting; she was rubbing herself all over him. Kate could tell he enjoyed it though, enjoyed the attention of a beautiful woman. It’s not like it was a common thing for him. He wasn’t Seth; women didn’t throw themselves at him. Even if they did show interest, he didn’t have the social skills to keep it, so they didn’t tend to stay long. It was one of the reasons Kate couldn’t understand why Lindsey was still smothering him months later.

As she grinded herself against him to the beat of the music, his large hands went up and grabbed her waist. She took his hands off and wiggled a finger in his face to tell him no touching. He obeyed, lust obvious in his eyes. She grabbed him rough by the hair and pulled his head back, pouring bourbon into his mouth until it overflowed. Her tongue snaked out and she licked her way up his neck, catching the rivulets of liquor as they fell. It was strangely similar to what Kisa did at the Twister, but somehow worse.

This was the final straw for Kate, a champagne and punch induced jealousy bubbled through her. What gave her the right to touch him like that? She felt the same rage and disgust with Lindsey touching him, that she did when Kisa did all those years ago. She remembered the feeling of seeing Kisa dance for Richie, and how she hated her for it. She had a connection with Richie from the moment they met, and she was just another woman getting in the way. 

She couldn’t take it. Part of her wanted to rip her off of him, part of her wanted to cry, and yet another part of her wanted him to look at her like he was looking at Lindsey now. She knew she couldn’t compete with that. She wasn’t even sure her body could move like that. Even if it could, she wasn’t really sure how to be sexy, and didn’t want to look like an inexperienced fool. She left before the dance was over.

She headed to her room underneath the club. While there were rooms for guests to spend the night, there was also a wing just for them. It even had its own little kitchen and family room. Her room was between Seth and Richie’s.

She walked into her bathroom to get ready for bed. She wasn’t in much of a partying mood all of a sudden. When she was finished, she headed for the comfort of her bed, still hearing the party going on upstairs. She figured it would continue for hours, it was only 12:30, and this group could party hard. Just as she pulled the covers back, there was a knock at the door. She opened it to find Richie standing on the other side.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey back,” she replied. “What are you doing down here? Your party is still raging up there.”

“I’m all partied out, plus I noticed you left, and I wanted to thank you.”

“For what?”

“Everything,” he said with a shy smile. “Nobody’s ever thrown me a surprise party before. Quite honestly, I didn’t think I would like one either, but I actually had a good time. So thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Richie. You deserve to have fun on your birthday. I'm glad you liked it.”

His cheeks flushed a bit at that, and he looked away. “Oh, and one more thing,” he said turning back towards her. “I was hoping you’d be up for a little of this.” He wagged his eyebrows as he held out his new Blu-ray for her to see. 

“Tonight?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s almost one in the morning.”

“Eh, I knew it was late, but thought I’d take the chance anyway,” he shrugged.

She smiled and opened the door all the way for him. That stupid ear to ear grin was back on his face, and it made her heart melt. He looked innocent and childlike when he smiled like that. She liked that she could make him happy enough to look that way, not many people did.

He sat down on her bed, flipped his shoes off, took off his suit jacket, and undid his tie and dress shirt as Kate put the movie in the Blu-ray player. When Kate turned around, he looked nice and comfy in his dress slacks and undershirt, arms behind his head. He was clearly making himself at home in her bed, and she liked that thought.

She got under the covers and flipped off the light. She was tired, but planned on watching as much of the movie as she could before sleep took over. They laid there, side by side in silence, watching the movie. She was about to fall asleep when he grabbed her hand, holding it in his much larger one. When she looked over to him, he was smiling at her. Her heart quivered at the sight, it was the warmest smile she ever saw from him. He looked so content, so happy. She thought about leaning over and kissing him, to show him she was just as happy that he was here with her.

This is the birthday gift he wanted more than anything else, to be here with her, alone. He liked his party, liked it even more knowing that she planned it for him. This though, meant more than any party or gift. There was only one thing that could make it better, but he dared not think about it. He longed for her soft lips. He got only a small taste when they first met, and he’s been dying for more ever since. He wasn’t sure he should push his luck though. The night was going so well, he didn’t want to spoil it. Plus, the memory of his last attempt was still fresh in his mind.

“Hey,” she said after a moment. “I just realized it’s after midnight.”

“Yeah, so?”

“That means it’s your actual birthday. I get to be the first to wish you happy birthday on your actual birthday,” she said with a goofy grin. “Happy birthday, Richie!”

He couldn’t help but smile at her; she was so beautiful, so perfect. He loved her so much right now it hurt. Before he could stop himself, he was already leaning down, moving in for that long awaited kiss. It was soft, little more than a touching of lips. He pulled away quickly, fearing she would back away like last time, but she didn’t. Instead, her arm found its way around his neck, not letting him get far. She kissed him back and this kiss was firmer, but still chaste. Instinctively he pulled her bottom lip between his, sucking on it gently, and she responded by pulling him closer. He went for it and she didn’t pull away this time, she invited it. When they finally broke the kiss, he rolled on his back and she tucked herself against him. For the third time in two days she rested her head on his chest and wrapped herself around him. It was a perfect end to a perfect night. When she told him to make a wish, this is what he wished for. I guess sometimes wishes do come true, he thought, as they both drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked chapter 2! I will be continuing to add to this, trying to get a chapter a week or so. Don't hesitate to post any comments, questions, or concerns. They are always welcome.


	3. Chapter 3: New Arrivals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate talks with Seth about her Richie situation. After that an unusual guest arrives at the Jacknife. 
> 
> Tidbit:
> 
> Kate woke up with the sudden realization that she wasn’t alone. There was a long arm wrapped around her waist. She turned her head to see Richie sleeping alongside her, and smiled knowing he stayed the night. It was an odd sensation, she thought. Any other man would feel warm against her, but with him she could only feel the pressure of his body tight against hers. Then she realized she could also feel something else against her.

Kate woke up with the sudden realization that she wasn’t alone. There was a long arm wrapped around her waist. She turned her head to see Richie sleeping alongside her, and smiled knowing he stayed the night. It was an odd sensation, she thought. Any other man would feel warm against her, but with him she could only feel the pressure of his body tight against hers. Then she realized she could also feel something else against her.

Her cheeks flushed when she realized what it was, and she wiggled away from it. Not from him, just it. She managed to find a spot that was far enough that it was no longer resting on her, but his arm was still around her. Not that she was offended; she knew he was a man, and that that happened. She knew he couldn’t help it, but it still felt somewhat inappropriate to be touching it. Although she had to admit, she was a bit curious. She knew that it often just happened to guys in the morning, but was hoping that maybe this time it had at least a little bit to do with her being so close to him. She liked the thought of having that effect on him, and realized that just the thought of it was having an effect on her too. She had a brief thought of backing up again so she could feel it pressed back on her thigh, so decided to do it.

Sometime in the middle of the night, Richie must have shed his dress pants, because Kate could feel that there was only the thin fabric of his briefs between her upper thigh and him. He felt warm and solid against her. It was exhilarating to Kate, who up until now, never purposefully rubbed up against a man like this. Even when she danced with Kyle at school dances she never touched him quite like this. 

She pressed herself more firmly against him, gently rubbing her leg along his length. She wanted more, so much more. Then suddenly the hand on her hip gripped a little more tightly and he pressed into her. Kate panicked, thinking she woke him up, only to realize it was more of a spasm than anything. It was just his sleeping body reacting to the stimulation. She quickly pulled away from him again, thinking she spent enough time being a creep rubbing against a sleeping man. Plus she almost got caught, she would have been humiliated, and would have felt like a total perv.

Even so she was in no real hurry to get up. Her bed was extra cozy, and she liked lying with him. Plus she needed a few extra minutes to compose herself. He kissed her last night, she thought. Nothing big, no tongue, but he still kissed her, soft and passionate. She was pretty sure it had at least something to do with the copious amounts of alcohol he consumed, but she was happy about it none the less. Truth be told, she’s wanted to kiss him ever since she found him in Xibalba.

When she entered the gate all that time ago, she prayed she could find him. After what seemed like hours, she found him lying face first at the edge of a blood river, covered in sand. She ran to him. She called his name, but he didn’t react. When she turned him over she could see he was all beat up from God only knows what. His face was bruised, scraped, and bloody, and didn’t seem to be healing as fast as it should. She cradled him, repeating his name over and over and gently shaking him, trying to wake him up. She ran her hands through his tousled hair and over his bruised cheeks, just trying to get a reaction from him.

Finally he opened his eyes. He looked at her like he thought he was dreaming.

“Kate?” he breathed. “Is it really you?”

“Yes, Richie, it’s really me.” She couldn’t help the tear that began rolling down her cheek, accompanying a soft, relieved smile. She was just elated to see that he was okay.

He lifted his hand and wiped the stray tear away with his thumb.

“Come on,” she said trying to refocus. “We have to get out of here.” She helped him to his feet, and started pulling him in the direction she came from. After a few steps, he stopped and pulled her into a vice-like hug.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, nuzzling her as he whispered “Katie,” over and over. She could hear the strain in his voice.

“I’m right here, Richie,” she murmured, running her fingers through his hair, trying to comfort him.

“She told me you were dead,” he said taking her face in his hands. He stared into her eyes. The look he gave her was so intense she felt it in her gut.

“She wishes I was,” she said, taking his hands in hers. “But if we don’t get out of here soon, we both will be.”

He raised her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently, one by one. It sent shivers down her spine and a heat spread through her like she never felt before. He was the one, she knew it then. She wanted him, even in that sunless desert Hell. There was no time for that now, no time to even think about it. They had to get out of Xiblaba before the gate closed.

They could see the gate ahead of them, like a tear in the sky. It seemed to be getting smaller. That’s when Richie grabbed her hand and full out sprinted to the gate, pulling her behind him.

“There is no way I’m letting you get stuck in here,” he yelled over his shoulder. “I might deserve to be here, but not you. You could never belong here, Kate.”

Next thing they knew, they were back in that mineshaft, and only minutes went by. She knew then that her only option was to go with him, no matter where that took her. They shared a look as they left that town that told her he felt the same. That heat was back, spreading through her like wildfire.

Things were kind of a blur for awhile after that. After the shock of the day wore off, she lived in a haze for months. Being possessed by an evil Hell Bitch will do that to you. She wasn’t sure which of her feelings were actually hers anymore. She was confused. She knew she loved both Geckos and wanted to be with them, but wasn’t sure what that meant. When Richie first kissed her that night on the dance floor, she wasn’t ready yet. It spooked her, but she later came to realize that her reaction was awful. She realized it must have really hurt him when she ran away from him. There he was, putting it all out there for her, and she practically slapped him in the face. She hoped that he would eventually get over it, but it didn’t seem like he was going to until last night. She was so happy that he gave her a second chance. She wanted to roll over and kiss him again, give him a proper “good morning”, but in the end decided she should just let him sleep. She wasn’t sure how much of a role the alcohol played in his decision to kiss her, and didn’t want to make it awkward. So for now, laying in the comfort of his arms would have to do.

Thirty minutes later she begrudgingly got out of bed. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t just lay there all day. It was already after 11. She hopped in the shower and got ready for the day ahead. Before she headed up though, she stopped to look one more time at the man sleeping in her bed. He looked peaceful, happy, and content. It made her smile all over again. She turned to leave even though she could just look at him like that all day.

She found Seth sitting in one of the booths, going over paperwork while eating a cheeseburger. She sat down opposite him after asking the cook to make her a burger as well.

“Nice of you to join us, Sleeping Beauty.” He said with a smirk. “Early to bed, late to rise.”

“Shut up Seth.”

“Easy there Princess. Kinda crabby for someone who went to bed so early. It’s almost like you didn’t get any sleep while you were down there.” His eyes went wide as he came to a realization. “You finally did it, didn’t you?”

“What the Hell are you talking about, Seth? Did what?” She asked, annoyed. He was clearly in a pain in the ass type mood today. She was trying to mentally prepare herself for what was coming.

“It,” he said while nodding his head and smirking at her. “I mean I noticed Richie never made it to his bed last night. Did he meet up in yours so you could give him his real present? Huh? Did my baby brother keep you up all night, Katie-cakes?”

“Really? What, are you keeping tabs on him?”

“No. His door was open and he wasn’t in there. From the amount of complaining Lindsey did last night when she couldn’t find him, I figured he didn’t go to bed with her, so I’m figuring it must have been you,” he winked at her. “You guys were getting a little cozy at the party, with all that huggin’ and kissin’ you did.”

“Grow up, Seth.”

“Fine. Be that way. Based on the show Lindsey put on for us last night though, Richie gave up a real, real good time with her. I hope you delivered.”

Heat crept up her face. “You’re disgusting Seth. You know that?”

He laughed, clearly entertaining himself. “So you keep reminding me. But he did sleep with you last night, right?”

“Yeah, he slept in my room, but it wasn’t like that. He came to watch “The Princess Bride” with me after the party. That was it.”

“Take it easy. If that’s the case you guys are both losers. What is wrong with you guys? A perfect opportunity wasted,” He shoved a fry in his mouth. “I know Richard’s sanity has always been up in the air, but I’m really starting to question it. He gave up a sure thing for that? I mean come on, you I get, but him? He has needs like the rest of us. Trust me, I would know. I shared a room with him growing up, plus many a hotel room since.”

“Seth! Really?!” She cried, while balling up a napkin and throwing it at him. There he goes bugging her about Richie again. She notices he’s been doing that more and more lately. “I don’t know why you keep making fun of us, Seth. Not everyone is a pervert like you. Richie is actually really sweet most of the time.”

“First of all, I’m not making fun of you guys. I’m just trying to point out the very obvious, which clearly someone has to. And secondly, Sweet? I love my brother, but sweet is not a word I would use to describe him. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in that.”

“There are many sides to Richie; sweetness is just one of them.”

He threw his hands up. “All I’m saying is that I don’t see why you guys don’t just get it over with already.”

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about Seth. It’s not like that between us.”

“I got news for you honey, it is.”

She gave him an irritated look, so his smile got bigger.

“Look,” he said. “You love him right?”

“I love both of you, you know that.”

“Yeah, but it’s not the same. You love us differently. And he loves you too. Anyone with eyes can see it.”

“Seth, please.”

“No really, Kate. I see it all the time, and in everything you do for each other. You’re always defending him, no matter what stupid shit he does. And Richie does a lot of stupid shit. When he’s upset, you are the first to be there to reassure him, which you do better than anyone by the way,” He ate another fry. “That stupid movie you got him, you got it because it’s the thing you do with him, alone. Hell you set up that whole birthday party for him because you wanted him to feel special and loved. You care about him and you’re always there for him when he needs you most. Those are things you do for someone you love, Kate, really love."

“Okay, so maybe I do love Richie,” she sighed, saying it out loud for the first time. “What does it matter, Seth? It doesn’t mean we’re sleeping together.”

He shrugged, and then gave her a Seth Gecko smile. “Too bad, because I know he loves you too, really loves you. Like love loves you,” he said wagging his eyebrows at her. “You could totally hit that if you tried.”

“It’s not like that Seth. He doesn’t think of me like that. He cares about me like he cares about you, I know that. That’s the kind of love you’re sensing.”

Just then her burger and fries were placed in front of her, followed by a sweet tea.

“Thanks, Renaldo,” she said smiling up at the man who brought her lunch.

“Any time, Kate,” he said as he left them to their conversation.

“First of all, it’s not the same,” Seth said soon as the waiter got out of earshot. “I’m pretty sure my brother doesn’t want to have sex with me. You on the other hand,” he shrugged suggestively and trailed off. “Are you honestly saying that you don’t think Richie loves you? You can’t be that blind.”

“No, Seth. I know he loves me, just not like that. Not in a romantic way.” She took a bite of her burger as she looked away from him.

“Really?” he asked in exasperation. “I’m confused. Are you honestly saying you don’t think Richie is in love with you? I mean, if so, you two are even more meant for each other than I thought. You two seem to be the only two people around that can’t see what the fuck is really going on. It’s obvious you’re both in love with each other, but neither of you does anything about it. I expected this from him. My brother may be a genius, but he also is a complete social retard. You on the other hand, I expected more from you.”

“Come on, Seth.”

“You come on!” he shouted in excitement. “You’re so in love with him I thought you were gonna pull Lindsey off him by the hair at one point last night. Don’t try to deny it. Part of me is actually a little upset you didn’t. That is something I would love to see.” He paused to shove another fry in his mouth before continuing. “If it bothers you so much when other women take a certain interest in him, and he shows a little interest in them, you’ve moved into the dangerous world past puppy love. Why don’t you just say something to him?”

She rolled her eyes at him and continued eating her burger. She was secretly a little embarrassed at being so transparent, she thought she hid it well enough that nobody noticed how upset she was last night. She was apparently wrong. She just hoped Seth was the only one who noticed.

“No, really. Why don’t you? There’s no way you can’t see it, so stop giving me that bullshit about not knowing how he feels,” he continued. “Everything Richie does shows that he loves you, Kate. The way he talks to you, the way he treats you, hell the way he’ll do anything if you ask him. You have him wrapped around your finger, and you don’t even know? Please. He goes out of the way to do little things for you every day, like he brings you blankets when he sees you’re cold, and makes you tea or soup when you’re sick. Stupid shit like that.”

“He’s just being nice, Seth. You know your brother is actually a nice guy when he wants to be.”

“A nice guy?! Have you met Richie? He’s best classified as a pompous asshole, and is a complete dick to almost everyone. He does those things because he loves you. Do you see him doing those things for anyone else?” He laughed in astonishment.

“I think you’re reading into this more than you should be. Most of you are guys. He treats women better. He is a gentleman, like you.”

“That, I’ll give you. Us Geckos are nothing if not gentlemen. Eddie made sure of that.” He shoved another fry in his mouth. “But honestly Kate, do I really have to spell it out? I don’t know how much more clear this could be. I’m pretty sure a blind man could see it. With you he’s caring, considerate, gentle, attentive, and God damn it, even affectionate. With everyone else he is an asshole, crabby, irrational, and short tempered.”

She rolled her eyes and took a swig from her tea. She had to admit, to herself not Seth, that he had a point. Richie did seem to be nicer to her than most. She remembered how nice he was to her the first day she met him, and how much of a dick he was to everyone else. It was odd in a way to see him flip on a dime depending on who he was talking to. He was cruel and rude to her brother and father. He threatened them, then immediately turned to her and apologized for scaring her at the pool, voice calm and comforting. Once, when on one of their little “vacations”, he and Seth got in a huge argument with one another while walking back from a bar. Kate was stuck listening to them bicker and jab at one another while she stood there in the chilly night air. Without warning, Richie was placing his jacket around her shoulders. He rubbed up and down her arms gently to create more heat while simultaneously calling Seth an idiotic piece of shit. He didn’t miss a beat. With that small, kind gesture towards her, he showed that he was fully capable of being a complete dick to someone while being considerate and attentive towards her needs at the same time. It was uncanny.

“Maybe at one point he did,” she said while avoiding Seth’s eyes. “In the beginning, when I wasn’t ready for anything yet. I think he may have been in love with me then, but a lot of things have changed, Seth.”

“What could have possibly changed that would make him not interested?”

“Well, for starters, they only time he made a move on me, I ran away from him.”

“I’m sorry. You did what now?” He asked in astonishment. This was news to him. He never saw Richie make a real move on Kate. He saw him awkwardly flirt with her, but never anything serious. Also, it never occurred to him that that’s how Kate would have reacted if he did.

“I panicked and ran away. Okay? We never even talked about afterwards. I think he thinks I hate him.”

“First of all, I don’t think Richie thinks you hate him. Second of all, what the fuck are you talking about? Why have I never heard this before?”

She never told anyone this story before, and was kind of happy to find out Richie never told Seth. It makes sense though. Why would he tell anyone? It must have been one of the most humiliating things that ever happened to him. God, she must have broke his heart when she ran from him.

“I feel awful about it, Seth. I was too embarrassed to tell anyone about it. Do you remember the New Years Eve party we had two years ago?” 

They had a party every New Years Eve at the Jacknife. It was Kate’s idea to turn it into a major event. She somehow convinced both bothers it was a good idea. Seth liked it because it was an excuse to drink and party with strange, drunk women with low inhibitions. While Richie liked the idea that more people would flock to the bar, and he could up-charge for drinks because of the occasion. Sometimes they were so similar in their thoughts, and other times polar opposites. 

“Kind of,” he said with a boyish grin. “I don’t remember much of the party, but I sure as Hell remember the sisters I spent the night with.”

“Gross,” she said, while rolling her eyes at him. “Glad to see you had such a good time. I, on the other hand, ruined Richie’s.”

“What did you do exactly, my dearest Kate?”

“Well, for starters, I dragged him to the dance floor and made him dance with me most of the night. You know how much he hates dancing, and parties, and crowds. He just looked so bored, I wanted him to have fun.”

“See what I mean?” Seth interjected. “He does anything you ask, even dance the night away.”

“Would you let me finish?” She gave him a questioning look and waited for him to nod, giving her the go ahead before continuing. “Okay, so when a slow song eventually came on, I was going to take a breather, but he pulled me close and danced with me. It surprised me at first but, while he for the most part can’t dance, he is actually a really good slow dancer. I got kind of caught up in the moment and just kind of rested my head against his chest after awhile. I wasn’t ready for anything as far as a relationship or anything like that, but it felt like the right thing to do in the moment. When I looked up at him, he was smiling and staring down at me. Then he just went in for a kiss, out of nowhere. I freaked out, Seth. I didn’t kiss him back, and I backed away from him. When I started pulling away, I saw the look on his face. He was apologizing to me, but I just ran off, leaving him there. I'm a terrible person, Seth. He didn’t come back home for three days after that, and didn’t talk to me for a week after. I think I ruined everything that night.”

Wow. That would have hurt if that happened to him, he thought. Probably hurt Richie even more knowing his past with women. He always wondered why his brother left that night, now he knows the answer. He must have just caught up with Richie after she left him. He remembered running into him on the dance floor, and that he was pissed about something. He figured it was his general hatred of parties. He tried coaxing him with one of the girls he found.

“Rishie,” he slurred as he blocked his brother from following Kate to the elevator. “I found us sisters. And they want us, man.”

“Get the fuck out of my way, Seth,” Richie shouted, while looking intently over Seth’s shoulder in the direction Kate ran off.

“Hey, Hey. Relax brother. I said I got us sisters.”

“Yeah, well take your sisters and get the fuck outta my way.”

“What the fuck is your problem man? Jeez. I thought I would share with you, but I can handle them myself, you asshole.”

“You go do that,” said Richie as he pushed Seth out of the way.

Seth didn’t know what happened after that, but Richie headed for the garage after that, no longer feeling like tracking Kate down was an option. He couldn’t believe how stupid he was. He fucked everything up, and he needed to get away to think. He fumbled in his pocket for keys to his car, couldn’t find them fast enough, and punched the window in. The alarm blared as he got in and slammed the door behind him. He finally pulled the keys out and turned the car on, turning the alarm off. He sat there for a minute, running through the night in his head.

He slammed his hands on the steering wheel in frustration screaming, “Fuck,” as he did. Then he ran his hands through his hair before he sped off into the night.

Kate broke Seth’s concentration. “Even if I do love Richie, there’s no way he still feels the same way after that. God, do you have any idea how bad I feel about that? I can’t even imagine how much I hurt him that night.”

“No way he feels the same way?!” he shouted around the last bit of burger in his mouth. “Listen, Richie is an idiot when it comes to this shit. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him successfully hit on a woman. He usually says something weird or disturbing, which makes most women run and hide. He’s probably used to it in some way. Yeah, you did in fact run from him, which I’m sure hurt like Hell, but I don’t think that means he stopped loving you.”

“How can you be so sure, Seth?”

“Because everything is different with you, Kate. He’s not just looking for a quick fuck. I know my brother. He’s always been a cocky son of a bitch, but when it comes to you, he’s like a scared little kid again. You mean the world to him, Kate. Losing you again would break him.”

“Isn’t that what I did? Break him?”

“You probably hurt him, yeah, but I don’t think you broke him. You’re still here, aren’t you? You didn’t actually run away. I’m sure that means more to him than you know.”

He took a sip of his beer before he continued. “Listen Kate. After this Amaru shit, we all needed time to figure out where we stood. You had the hardest time of all of us. Richie and I talked about it, and decided we would do whatever you needed us to do. Be whatever you needed us to be. It was the least we could do, considering. You were fragile, and we walked on eggshells for the first few months. Whatever his feelings were, there was no way he would put them before helping you get through that. We both needed you to be comfortable and feel safe. Nothing else mattered. If anything, Princess, I’m sure he was more mad at himself than you. He probably thought he broke your trust, or something stupid like that.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause you all that stress, but I’m better now. I have been for a long time. That doesn’t change what happened. I can see he cares about me, but I don’t think it means what you think. Since that night, things have always been different between us. I’ve tried showing him I’m ready now. He just brushes it off, like I’m making some kind of joke.”

“First and foremost, you have nothing to apologize for, Princess. We both understand. But you’re not looking hard enough, Kate. He still loves you. I mean, he might not come out and say it; but he does. That’s why he continues to do all that mushy shit for you. You can’t be that blind, Kate. Just be more open with him. Have patience. You know what they say, “once bitten twice shy”, well he was shy to begin with. Give him a clear message and another chance. What’s not to love about you, Kate? Why do you think it’s so easy that something like that would change his feelings for you?

She hated to admit it, but Amaru made her question everything. Richard wasn’t the only one who was tortured by Amaru for those three days she held him captive. Kate got her fair share during those days too. Amaru started taunting her about her feelings for the brothers as soon as she found out, but those three days were the hardest of days for her. She constantly reminded Kate that she was a scared, little virgin who had no idea how to please a man. She told her to look at the way Richard looked at her now; he would never look at her like that after. She couldn’t please him. She would disgust him. He wouldn’t want anything to do with her when he realized how useless a lover she would be. How could a little, church girl like her please a man like Richard Gecko? He wants a real woman, which is why he chose Santanico Pandemonium. She took it as far as saying she should make Richard take her now, so she could show him what a real woman could do. Tainting her for him because she would never be as good. After he had Amaru, Kate would only be a disappointment.

Luckily, she never did it though. Kate couldn’t handle it if she did. She knew she could if she really wanted, and feared that she would be right. How could she ever compete with Santanico? What could she give Richard that Santanico couldn’t? He had been with her for months, doing God only knows what. And here Kate was, running away from him like a scared child. Maybe Amaru was right. Richard was a man, and she was just a freighted, little girl who could never give him what he needed. It hurt, but what if Amaru was right, and Richie already figured it out.

“I don’t know,” she said in a soft voice. “Maybe he realized that I could never be what he needs. Maybe that's why he chose Kisa in the first place. She's a real woman, and can give him what a scared, little church girl like me can’t.”

“Kisa?” he asked in confusion. “What the fuck does she have to do with anything? She was never what he needed. What the fuck are you talking about, Kate?”

“Yeah, well he went right for her didn’t he!” she spat. “He wanted her so bad he had no problem going straight for it. He doesn’t act like that with me, Seth. He must not want me the way he wanted her.” 

“Damn straight! He never loved her, Kate. Wanted her, sure, but never really loved her. Plus, she messed with his fucking head for months. I don’t think he had any idea what he really wanted. Shit started falling apart for him as soon as he started to realize that too. You are different for him. And that’s a good thing.”

“That doesn’t explain why he always brushes me aside when I try to show him how I feel, Seth. I think he’s just trying not to hurt my feelings, because he no longer feels the same.”

“Bullshit. He’s just not used to this type of thing, Kate. We didn’t do love growing up. The words might not come out, but it’s in everything he does. Richie sees you as pure, innocent, and everything good in his life. He thinks of himself as a monster. Not just because of the Culebra shit either; he always thought he was a monster in some way. In his mind, there is no way he deserves you, Kate, and maybe he doesn’t even think it’s possible you could ever love someone like him. That is why I think he brushes you off. Not because he doesn’t love you, but because he doesn’t think he deserves you. He doesn’t want to get hurt.”

“I never thought of Richie as a monster, Culebra and all. How could he think he doesn’t deserve love, Seth? Everyone does.”

He held his beer in both hands and stared into it like he was seeing more than the amber liquid. “He’s had it rough, Kate. We both did. It was always just us. Our dad didn’t give a shit about us. Richie never got any dates in high school, girls thought he was creepy. Kisa, well you know how that ended up. She used him, and left him alone and heartbroken when she was done with him. He has never been in a relationship besides that, Kate. Never. Besides me and Eddie, no one has ever shown him love. I think that, and our fucked up childhood makes him believe he isn’t good enough.”

Her heart broke for Richie. He never really had a chance at normal. She felt his innermost feelings when Amaru was torturing him. He craved love and acceptance most of all. He was full of love to give, despite his anger and deep sadness. He wanted to give someone all that love, thought he found that person with Kisa, only to find out it was all a lie. She wanted to run to him now, and hold him. Let him know that he deserves to be loved, and that she loved him, actually loved him. She was ready to admit that now, and she wanted him to know that she accepted him, just as he is, always had.

“He is good enough, Seth. Despite what he lets others see, he's an amazing and kind person on the inside. He doesn’t deserve to be alone. He deserves to be happy.”

“You make him happy, Kate,” He smiled at her. “Remember when we went to that carnival last year, and you didn’t win that ridiculously large stuffed bear?”

“Yeah.”

“Well who won it for you?”

“Richie,” she smiled thinking of that night. She tried for ten minutes to win that stupid thing. When she gave up, he went in for a try. He explained to her the physics of the carnival game, then demonstrated the technique needed to win. He gave it a test run, made adjustments, and then succeeded, winning her the giant stuffed bear of her choosing.

“Yeah, you see what I mean now? He still loves you enough to get you stupid little gifts. Then he won you that stupid goldfish later that night. You liked that stupid thing so much, he bought you dozens more fish in the next few months. Which is how we ended up with a 450 gallon aquarium in our office.” he rolled his eyes at the thought. “Speaking of stupid gifts. I think yours was his favorite last night. I think he liked it more than that amazing lap dance he got from Lindsey.”

“Shut up, it’s a good movie, which you would know if you ever watched it with us. And stop talking about Lindsey.”

“Yeah, but then it wouldn’t be your thing,” he said with a smile, knowing the little Lindsey comments were getting under her skin. “Your thing seems really important to him, too. He hugged you, he didn’t even hug me. I had to go hug him myself. I got him something he’s been dying to try, but he still liked your little movie better.”

He actually sounded a little jealous. Seth needs Richie as much as Richie needs Seth. Maybe up until now, Seth still thought he was number one, she thought.

“Ohhhh,” he said playfully. “He even kissed you. A little peck, right on that little, rosy cheek of yours. And right in front of everyone! I’m sure that really pissed Lindsey off.”

She blushed, “Seth!”

“Right,” he said, waving his hands. “No more Lindsey talk. Let’s move on. Let’s talk about your birthday last year, another thing lover boy did for you that you apparently never noticed,” he said in mock horror. “He made you chocolate chip pancakes, and fresh squeezed orange juice, and brought you breakfast in bed. That alone is more than any man would do for a woman he just thought of as a friend, by the way. To top it off he even gave you that sappy card. You remember what he put in that thing?”

“It had a coupon for one night of anything I wanted in it.” She smiled thinking of the little handmade coupon.

“Yep. And what did you make him do that night?”

“Take me dancing.”

“Right again. He hates dancing, but he took you swing dancing anyway because it’s what you wanted. And now that I know about your little New Years spectacle, I’m sure he at least had some sort of PTSD about dancing with you.”

“Really, Seth? You had to bring that up?”

“I’m just saying. But he still went anyway. Probably fearing you would run off on him again, but he did it for you anyway because he does anything you ask him.”

She glared at him. “You know you came with too. Don’t forget about that. You both took me dancing.”

“True, but I only went because you said my presence was required. Plus you never ditched me on a dance floor, so why wouldn’t I go?” He said tipping his head in question. “I’d have to say though, Princess. It turned out to be a pretty good night for me anyway. Watching him try to follow the moves was just about one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Guy’s got no rhythm,” he said while polishing off the last of his fries.

“He got better towards the end of the night. He really seemed to catch on.”

“Hmmmm. I don’t think so, Princess,” he laughed.

She gave him a questioning look. She distinctly remembered him whipping her around the dance floor with ease for the last dance.

“You remember that twenty minute smoke break he took while you danced with me?” he asked with a grin. “Well I think he might have had a little snack. I noticed his dance moves improved dramatically after he came back.”

“Are you saying he ate someone just to get better swing dance moves?!” She asked in shock. “Come on Seth, that’s pretty low.”

“I don’t think that was the only reason. Remember that drunk guy who told you that you could use a better partner. Then he winked at you and pinched your ass? Well I didn’t see him after. I think he killed two birds with one stone. If you know what I mean.”

In a way, that made sense. The guys at the Jacknife that got a little too handsy often left with broken arms. She had both Geckos to thank for that. Neither took too kindly to rude guys paying her unwanted attention. Hell, she’s seen them do it for all the girls in the bar, human or Culebra. Gentlemen until the end.

He continued. “Did you ever notice how every motel we stay at is within walking distance to an ice cream shop?”

Now that he mentioned it, yes, it did seem like that was the case. How had she never noticed?

“He does that so he can take you out for ice cream at night. You know, so you can get your butternut pecan fix. He’s always taking you out for dinner followed by ice cream, and I’m never invited.” He paused, and wrinkled his brows. “Now that I’m really thinking about it, those sound like dates. It actually seems like you’ve been dating my brother for the better part of two years.” He laughed. “Congratulations, Princess. Looks like you have a boyfriend after all, and neither of you knew!”

He laughed and laughed, rocking in his seat, much to Kate’s humiliation. She would know if she was dating Richard. Seth was just being an ass, typical. Although, they did seem to be kind of date like now that she was thinking about it. They often took walks after, arm in arm. He even took her to the beach once so they could eat their ice cream while watching the waves in the moonlight. Oh my God, she thought.

“And to top it off,” he said in between snickers, “You didn’t give it up to him on his birthday. Some girlfriend you are.”

“Real funny, Seth.”

“Oh come on, Princess. I mean he still chose to spend a platonic night watching a cheesy, 80’s RomCom with you, when he could have, and should have in my book, taken the guaranteed lay with Lindsey. She was all over him last night, even more than usually. That was a sure bet, but he chose you. If that ain’t love, sister, I don’t know what is.”

Maybe Seth was right. Richard was always there when she needed him, and he did kiss her last night. Maybe he was still in love her. If that was true, did they have a chance? Has he been trying to show her how he felt all this time? He did all these nice things for her, and she never thought twice about it. She was so selfish, always expecting him to do those things for her, and giving him nothing in return. She kept her distance from him, unsure of how he felt. He must have thought she was pushing him away, but if Seth was right, he never gave up on her. How could she be so stupid?

“If everything you said is true, than what should I do about it, Seth?”

“All I know, Princess, is that if you love him like I know you do, you have to make him understand. I think his love for you is the purest feeling he has ever had, and it scares him that he might push you away. He’ll never push the issue with you, Kate. He won’t risk losing you by giving you, what he thinks, is unwanted attention. Especially after what happened last time. Hate to say it, but it’s true. You’re gonna need to put in extra effort now. Please do something fast though. Watching you two is making me sick.”

She rolled her eyes. He could never leave it at something nice. He always had to add some smart ass comment. He did help her make up her mind though. She had to find a way to get Richie to understand how she felt. She needed to take the risk. She needed to know if Seth was right. She loved Richie, and this little pep talk with Seth gave her the push she needed to finally take that step. She wasn’t sure how to go about it, but she was going to come up with a plan. She was going to make Richard Gecko hers.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richard woke up in a state of serenity, the memory of Kate’s lips on his still fresh in his mind. She wasn’t there with him now, but he could still smell her on the sheets. He could get used to this.

He hoped she didn’t regret the kiss after she woke up this morning. She seemed to encourage him last night, but what if that was an in the moment thing? Or a she had a few drinks thing? He felt that it wasn’t, but couldn’t be sure. He didn’t regret it though, no matter what.

He begrudgingly rolled out of bed; he had a bar to run. He gathered up his dispersed clothing and headed next door to his bedroom. He showered, slicked his hair back, and put on his usual attire. He looked just as professional as he always did when he walked into his bar. The only difference was a slightly noticeable pep in his step.

Kate was hosting today, showing patrons to their seats. This was never her dream job, but she enjoyed it. Plus, Jacknife Jed’s was home, and the crew was her family. She couldn’t picture a place that could make her feel more comfortable.

Richie saw her at the host stand and smiled as she looked up at him, looking for a sign that she didn’t completely regret what happened last night. He got it when she blushed and shyly smiled back, letting her eyes linger just a bit. She didn’t seem angry with him, he thought, maybe a little embarrassed, but not angry. Maybe the blush meant she actually liked that he kissed her, even if it wasn’t entirely intentional on his part. It was more of a reflex to the feeling that was overwhelming him in the moment. Relief washed over him at the thought. Maybe if she liked it, he could try again. Maybe she wanted him to try again, he thought. She didn’t push him away last night after all, she pulled him closer. What if she wanted more? Now was not the time though, they were working. Perhaps after work tonight he would press the issue. Only a little though, just in case that wasn’t what she wanted.

Richie decided that he would have to try some causal flirting; flirting that would get him the answers he wanted without giving too much away. Getting that right would be a major feat for him, as flirting wasn’t exactly his strong point. He had to know though, if he was right this time. What if her feelings had changed?

Maybe it was the fact that he was another year older, maybe not, but he seemed a little more brazen today. The reactions she had given him in the last few hours made him ready to make another move. A little part of him thought that it was entirely possible that she maybe was starting to be interested back. Who knows, he thought, maybe all the little flirtations she threw his way were actually signs that she was leaning his way for awhile now. If that was the case, he figured it was time to find out. If he was what Kate wanted, he would gladly oblige. She was everything to him, and even the thought of her feeling anywhere near that for him set his body on fire.

God, he wanted her, wanted to go to her. He had the sudden urge to touch her. He wanted to know now. It was killing him. Maybe he could ask her on a real date. Seth was always bugging him about his little “ice cream dates” with her, telling him to stop being such a pussy and take her on a real date. Maybe he would ask her tonight. If she said no, that was a pretty clear answer. If she said yes, well that was also a pretty clear answer. He was going to do it, he thought. He was finally ready to ask the girl of his dreams on a real date. Only he wasn’t sure what to ask her to do. He had all day to think about it though. It had to be perfect, whatever it was. Now he just had to play cool until the time was right.

Kate continued to watch Richie as he made his way behind the bar. He looked better than usual in his dark suit. Maybe it was her new confidence in his feelings for her thanks to Seth, or maybe it was the kiss last night that was so reassuring. She couldn’t help but think that maybe he enjoyed that little kiss as much as she did, and maybe that was why he seemed to glow today. Either way, she intended to find out. She was going to put in some serious flirting today, to see if he reciprocated this time. The fact that Lindsey was working, and it would piss her off if Richie even remotely flirted back with Kate, was only an added bonus.

As Kate smiled to herself at the thought, a woman made her way to the host stand. She didn’t look like the normal truckers and bikers that stopped in. Instead of the flannels and leather that most of the patrons wore, she was in a clean, black, button-down shirt, and tight, black jeans. She took off her dark sunglasses as she asked for a table away from the windows.

Kate showed her to her table, and asked if she could get her anything while her waitress finished up at another table.

“Actually, you could,” she said was a sly smile. “If you could get one of your bosses to meet with me, that would be much obliged. Both if you can, but the younger Gecko is most important.”

Kate was taken aback. Most people didn’t just come around asking for the Geckos. If they did, they were usually trouble.

As if she could read Kate’s mind, she said, “I mean you no trouble, Miss Fuller. I just need to speak with them. You too actually.” She flashed eyes that changed to an inhuman amber color.

This could not be good, but Kate nodded and turned to get Richie and Seth. The more she thought about it, the eyes were wrong. They were not human, and not Culebra. Whatever she was though, Kate had a feeling she didn’t want to start a scene in the middle of the bar, so what could be wrong with getting the brothers involved. They would know what to do anyway.

She found them in their office, and told them about their odd guest. They seemed suspicious, but curious. They were pretty sure they could handle whatever the hell this was, so they made their way to her table.

“You lookin’ for the Geckos?” Asked Richie in a tone that said don’t mess with me.

“I am,” she replied with a smile. She gestured to the three open seats. “Please sit down. I have a rather important matter to discuss with you.”

“Okay,” said Seth as they sat down. “Get on with it. We’re busy men. You can start by telling us who you are, and how the fuck you know who we are.”

She huffed at that. “My name is Alessandra Cormini, and I make it my business to know the key players in this small community.”

“Oh yeah,” said Richie. “What community is that?”

“The supernatural community. Culebra,” she added with satisfied grin.

“Oh yeah,” he said again. “You one of us too?”

She chuckled at that. “No. But you and I are more similar than you think, Mr. Gecko.”

With that, her normally brown eyes were back to that rich amber color. That sly smirk on her face turned into an open mouth grin, revealing teeth that were definitely not Culebra snake fangs. The canines were long and sharp on top and bottom. The four front, top teeth were jagged and angled towards the center. It was like nothing they had ever seen before.

The looks on their collective faces made her tilt her head back and laugh, a rich belly laugh. “What? You act like you’ve never seen a real vampire before? Did you honestly think Culebras were the only nonhumans living in this realm?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. There will be more to come soon.


	4. Conversations with a Vampire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate and the Gecko's get to know their new vampire guest, and learn about what's coming. Richie and Kate watch a movie together.
> 
> Tidbit:
> 
> First he saw her enter her library, seeing the blood all over the room, but no Vincenzo. He saw the open safe and felt her anguish as she realized the stone was missing. He remembered a conversation with Vincenzo about the other missing people and relics. Then he saw her enter what he somehow knew was a witch coven. All thirteen of them dead, bullet wounds and holes littered their bodies and the room around them. Some he could tell were tortured, knife wounds carving them up like Thanksgiving turkeys. From the smell of it, they had been dead at least a week.

“Hold up. Hold up. What the fuck?” said Seth. “You mean there’s more of this shit out there?”

“If by “this shit” you mean supernaturals, then yes, there is more of this shit out there,” she said with a hint of annoyance. 

“Richard, did you know about this?” Asked Seth clearly irritated. “I swear to God if you did. . .”

“How the fuck would I know about this, Seth?” He was cut off by an agitated Richie.

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe your Snake Queen Ex-girlfriend.”

“If she knows, she never said anything to me.”

“I doubt your Snake Queen knows much,” chimed in Alessandra. “Your Culebra Lords were pretty good at hiding things from the rest of you. The world around you is bigger than you think. Bigger than they led you to believe.”

Richie, Seth, and Kate sat there in disbelief. As if their world wasn’t complicated enough, in walked another complication. With all the shit they’ve been through, this is one thing they could live without. As far as Seth was concerned, Mexican Dracula was more than enough bullshit to deal with.

Alessandra sat there quietly letting them soak it all up, patiently waiting for them to ask any questions they might have. They had plenty, but couldn’t seem to get any out. When they were taking longer than she thought, she started fidgeting, clearly looking to move on.

“Questions, comments, concerns? Anyone?” She asked.

“Slow down, cupcake,” said Seth. “We’re processing.”

“I don’t believe anyone has ever called me cupcake before,” Alessandra said with slight amusement.

“He gives nicknames to almost everyone. Get used to it,” added Kate.

“Duly noted.”

“What the fuck is a “real vampire” anyway?” Asked Richard finally.

“I’m glad you asked,” she said with a pleased smile. “For the most part, we’re pretty similar to Culebras. We feed on blood, we heal quickly, are impervious to most wounds and all diseases, we have enhanced senses, and we are faster and stronger than normal humans. There are some key differences though. We are more closely related to bats instead of snakes. Which means our saliva has both a numbing agent and an anticoagulant in it, to help make our bites less painful, and help the blood flow without sucking. That’s a myth by the way,” she said laughing. “No vampire type creatures actually suck blood, as you well know Richard. We bite, and blood flows. No sucking involved. Anyway, we actually are more resistant to sun than you are, although not much. We don’t sizzle and burn. We grow dehydrated quickly, and grow weak. Our skin eventually burns like the worst sunburn you have ever had, and often blisters, but that may take thirty minutes or so.” She paused, took what seemed to be her first breath since she started talking and then continued. “Most of all though, Culebras have these special powers going for them that we don’t. Your wyobe, if you will. You know like wings, impenetrable scales, intense crushing abilities. I have most definitely heard of yours, Mr. Gecko. I find it most impressive. In fact, it most resembles the powers that we have. We, typically have better mind control, in varying capacities of course.”

“Mind control?” Asked Seth, slightly concerned. “I don’t like that kinda shit.”

“And yet, it doesn’t change the fact that we have it,” Alessandra said sarcastically. “Don’t worry, Mr. Gecko. I don’t plan on using it on you, if that’s what you’re thinking. I only use it as a last resort anyway. I have better, quicker ways to persuade people,” she finished with an unpleasant smile.

“I bet you do,” he said with a rye smile.

Kate gulped audibly. She was starting to rethink her earlier belief of Alessandra not wanting to cause trouble in a bar full of people. Maybe that is exactly what she came here to do.

“I did not come here to hurt anyone, Miss Fuller,” said Alessandra, agitation clear in her voice as she turned to face her full on.

“Can you read minds too?” Kate asked, stunned that for the second time today she seemed to know exactly what she was thinking.

“No, but your thoughts are very evident on your face,” she said smirking while leaning forward. “You must be a terrible poker player.” 

“You got one thing right,” laughed Seth. “She’s a horrible poker player.”

Kate blushed and glared at the older Gecko. She happened to think she was a pretty damn good poker player. He just happened to be a cheat, and a really sore loser when he actually tried playing fair.

“Don’t worry, Kate. May I call you that?” Asked Alessandra. “Being a good liar isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

“Why don’t you get to the point,” interjected Richie. “And tell us why the fuck you’re here.”

“Touchy touchy,” she smirked, eyes wide with amusement. “Very well, young Gecko. I'll get to the point.”

She took a slip from her water, cleared her throat, and then said, “It’s a bit of a long story. I want to try to make it as clear as I can, so I’ll try not to leave anything out.”

“Sounds fantastic,” said Seth with pure sarcasm. “I guess it’s story time. Should I get us some popcorn?”

“Hmmm. I don’t know about popcorn,” she said rubbing her chin and giving him as much back as he gave. “But some refreshments sound great. Perhaps a giant plate of nachos, and an ice cold sweet tea? I’m assuming you have nachos?”

“Really?” Asked Richie in annoyance.

“This establishment does serve food, correct? So, yeah. Really. I’ve had a long journey, and I’m. . . famished,” she finished with that same smirk as earlier. The one that made Kate wonder exactly how trustworthy she actually was.

Richie huffed and rolled his eyes. Seth snapped his fingers and waved over the young waitress from the next table. He gave her their order.

“And make it snappy,” he said over his shoulder. Then he waved his hand in front of him, giving Alessandra the floor.

“Well for starters,” she said. “I guess I should point out that you’re probably in danger. I know, unexpected, right?”

Neither of the brothers looked amused. Kate wasn’t too shocked either.

“Wow. Tough crowd.” She paused before continuing with her story. “Okay, long story short, some really bad people are trying to resurrect your Xibalban Queen, among some other really nasty fucks.”

“Is that possible?” Asked Richie. “To resurrect her?”

“Yes, unfortunately it is. Also, she isn’t even the worst part of it. Like I said, there are other nasty fucks they want to resurrect. Four in total. Possibly five if things go smoothly.”

“Who are these “bad” people who are trying to resurrect them, and more importantly how do we stop them?” He asked.

“Well if I knew who it was, I wouldn’t be coming to you, because I would have already taken care of it,” she said raising her eyebrows in mock surprise. “But since I haven’t, the easiest way to stop them now, would be making sure they don’t get everything they need to complete the ritual.”

“And what would that be?” Asked Seth.

“Well, as far as spells go, the one they're gonna want to use is like the Noah’s arch of resurrection spells.”

“Meaning?” Asked Richie.

“Meaning they need two of everything to complete it. For each of the four they want to resurrect, they need the following things: two relics from their realm, two innocents, two pure bloods from their realm, and two resurrection objects. In the case of your Xibalban Queen, there are really only two pure bloods left, since the lords are dead. Santanico Pandemonium, and you, Richard.”

“How is he a pure blood?” Asked Seth. “He isn’t from Xibalba.”

“True, but neither is Santanico.”

“Kisa,” interrupted Kate.

“Bless you,” said Alessandra sarcastically.

Kate gave her an unamused look. “She goes by Kisa now. It’s her real name.”

“My apologizes. “Kisa” was given her snake by the lords themselves, while Richard gained his in the labyrinth. They are the only two Culebras left not turned purely by venom, and thus the only pure bloods left. Which means they need both of you.”

“Well that sucks,” said Richie, flatly.

“Yeah, but it really helped me narrow things down a bit. I don’t know what they already have, so locking down one part of the spell was a nice first step. If you’re still walking around, they clearly don’t have everything they need. So that’s a good sign.”

“What about these artifacts, innocents, and other shit?” Asked Richie. “What are we talking about?”

“Well innocents are everywhere; you can get two of those on any corner. I have a feeling you two would be perfect innocents though,” she said pointing at Seth and Kate. “One of the wonder twins, and the former host of Amaru herself. The keeper of what is left of the Santa Sangre. Couldn’t ask for innocent blood much more powerful than that.”

“Perfect,” sighed Seth.

Alessandra continued. “I wish I had better news, Seth. But it is what it is. While any human would do, the irony of picking you two would be too much to resist. It’s what I would do if it were me.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said dryly.

“As far as the rest, those require a little more digging. They’re a little more specific. The two relics have to be something tied to their realm, in your case, Xibalba. Like weapons, or armor, hell even sand or dirt can be a relic from another realm. I’ve heard about your knife, Richard. That would be considered a relic, and again, is what I would go after if it were me. If they get you, they get a relic as well. It’s a two for one.” She paused and shrugged. “The resurrection objects are simple. There is a special chalice for each, and a resurrection stone. Hers was in the form of a necklace.”

“Well they won’t be able to get their hands on that necklace, if it’s the one she used before,” said Kate with a smile. “I threw it through the gate before it closed. It’s gone now.”

“Impossible,” exclaimed Alessandra. “That necklace cannot enter another realm. It exists on this plain only. It never could have entered Xibalba. So if what you’re saying is true, and you threw it at the gate, it’s still here somewhere. I wouldn’t be surprised if they already have it.”

“Are you fucking kidding me,” yelled Seth.

“I wish I was. That’s one thing we can be pretty sure they have now. The failed attempt made by Amaru and her minions is well known. They would have gone to the site to investigate, and picked up the amulet if it was still there. And most of the rest of what they need is sitting at this table. Jesus fucking Christ! This is worse than I thought it would be. This place is like a Goddamn goldmine. A Wal-mart where they can pick up their innocents, their pure blood, and their relics all in one stop.”

Richie looked at Seth, then at Kate. This day started out with such promise. Last night he finally made a move on Kate, and this afternoon he decided he was finally ready to take things a step further. Now he has this shit to think about. Granted, he wasn’t completely sold on her story yet, or sure he could trust her, but if Kate was in danger in any way, he had to at least consider it. He took any threat to her seriously, and he knew Seth would too. Amaru really took her toll on Kate the first time around, and Richie wasn’t going to let it happen again. He would die first. 

“Where the fuck do you come in on this?” He asked. “How do we know we can trust you?”

“Currently you don’t,” said Alessandra matter of factly. “We’ll partake in a little trust exercise later. As for your other question, I said there were four they were trying to resurrect. My partner and I were in possession of another stone, for one of the others. It was stolen from us about six months ago. They also took my partner, Vincenzo, with them when they grabbed the stone. We started noticing a pattern of things, and people going missing a ways back. It led us to believe someone was trying to resurrect the four. That’s when we started looking more into it.”

“Why did they take him too?” Asked Richie. “He a “pure blood”?”

“No, but he has tons of connections, and knows where to find most of them. He also knows more about this shit than I do, so they practically have a fountain of knowledge at their fingertips as long as they keep him alive.”

“You think he’s still alive?” He asked coldly.

She glared at him. “He better be.”

“Who are the four?” Asked Kate, trying to break up the hostility.

“The four generals in Lucifer’s army.”

“Excuse me?” Asked Seth impatiently. “You’re gonna get all biblical on us now?”

“Only if you want to know the rest, my impatient friend.”

Seth huffed and waved her on dismissively. She started to continue as the food arrived. She smiled at their waitress as she put the huge plate of nachos in the center on the table.

“Yum,” she said rubbing her hands together. She grabbed a plate full of nachos, took a swig of her sweet tea, and then finally moved on with her story.

“I’m sure you have all heard the story of how Lucifer started a war in Heaven against his “unjust” God. He lost and then was banished to Hell right? Well that’s not exactly the whole story. Lucifer had four generals under him. When the war was said and done, all of them were also punished by being sent to their own personal Hells, never to see each other again. Their followers were each sent to their respective Hell dimensions with their leader. The generals were said to be this, one of snake, one of bat, one of wolf, and one of the horned creature. All serving the dragon himself, the Lord of Light, Lucifer. Their common goal is to see Lucifer on his “true” throne, after he destroys God, and his human abominations. All of these Hell dimensions have gates here on Earth, including Lucifer’s. From what I have been told, the only way to open his gate is with the blood of all four generals together. That is why each want to get to this realm. When all four are released, they can unlock him from his prison, and bring true Hell to our realm, effectively destroying us all.”

All three of them were just looking at her, stunned. That was a lot to process. One Hell Queen was enough, now there were possibly three others to worry about, not to mention Satan himself. 

“Great,” sighed Seth.

He couldn’t help thinking how much simpler his life was three years ago. He was just another criminal doing time when Carlitos came into his life, sending him on his path of pure batshit crazy. He wanted to go back to the way things were before, with none of this bullshit. No Culebras, no vampires, no Hellspawn, no fucking Lucifer. How did he get sucked into this? This was not the life he was supposed to live. All he ever wanted for himself was to die rich and fat on some beach with a beautiful woman at his side. Now all he could hope for was a boring day when no monsters were coming after him, and nobody died. Was that too much to ask?

“Why would anyone want to do that?” Asked Kate. “Help them destroy everything?”

“That I honestly could not tell you,” said Alessandra completely serious, not a hint of the sarcasm that flowed through her regular speech. 

“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” Asked Seth suspiciously. “And you’re not just making this shit up?”

“Or worse,” chimed in Richie. “You’re one of them.”

“There’s an easy solution to that,” she said, and shrugged, “But I think that will most likely be better to do in a more private location. A little blood sharing never hurt anybody,” she said as she flicked her tongue across her left canine. “Help me finish these nachos first though, I’m fuckin’ hungry. Then I’m hoping you have a private office or something we can slip into, and we can solve our trust issues.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the nachos were gone the foursome moved into the Geckos’ office for more privacy. Opening arteries in the middle of the bar didn’t seem like a good idea to any of them.

Richie pulled out his knife from his pocket to cut his hand.

“That touching blood shit doesn’t work for us,” said Alessandra. “That nifty trick belongs to Culebras alone. I will actually need to drink from you if I want to get anything from you.”

“Who the fuck said anything about you getting anything from me,” he snarled. “This is about us trusting you.”

“I’d like to know if I can trust you as well, Mr. Gecko. You’re not the only one with suspicions.”

Then tension in the air was making it difficult to breathe. Kate felt well and truly uncomfortable in this stuffy little office. It was a totally different atmosphere then outside in the bar, like the seclusion put everyone on edge. Out there nobody wanted to try anything with all the spectators, in here there wasn’t that sense of security.

“Fine,” he said flatly.

“You can drink from me too, if it makes you feel less awkward about it. I’ll only need a little from each of you, a few drops at most.”

“From each of us?” Asked Seth. It was more of an agitated statement that a question though.

“I want to make sure I can trust all of you.”

“No,” he said shaking his head and snarling. “No fucking way. You’re no getting anywhere near me with this shit.”

“Well,” she said flatly. “If I had to be honest, you’re the least important of all.”

“You’re not getting near Kate either,” said Richie, stepping in front of her.

“Honestly,” said Alessandra with astonishment. “I’m not going to hurt any of you. I just need to know what you know.”

“You can get what you need from me,” he said. “But you’re not touching her.”

Kate saw the look in his eyes before he stepped in front of her, he was serious. She flushed at the thought of how he was trying to protect her. That she meant that much to him. She could feel the tension ebbing from him like waves in the ocean. She knew he would fight to protect her, even kill Alessandra if he needed to. For some reason she believed that the other vampire really didn’t want to hurt her though, and she didn’t want that fight to occur. Especially because she had no idea how that fight would end. Richie was strong, and ruthless, but they knew nothing about Alessandra. What if she was stronger? Or more viscous in a fight than they thought? She couldn’t take that chance. She wasn’t going to let him make a move that might end up taking him away from her.

“Why do you need anything from me?” She asked.

“How long did you have Amaru crawling around in your skin?” Asked Alessandra.

“A little over six months.”

“That is why I need you, Kate. There has to be so much you don’t even know you know about her in your blood. It’s tainted with her. Her memories, her desires, everything she knows. I need that information. Trust me. I only have all of our best interests in mind.”

“I believe you,” whispered Kate. She took Richie’s hand then, and squeezed. He turned to look her in the eyes, silently asking her if she was sure. She nodded and smiled a soft smile up at him. “It’ll be okay, Richie. Trust me.”

He sighed. He always trusted her, and if she trusted Alessandra, he would have to give her the benefit of the doubt. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t rip her head off if she tried anything. He wasn’t taking that off the table.

Seth finally felt at ease too. Kate was a pretty good judge of character, she always saw the good in people. If there was any good in Alessandra, Kate would find it. If she saw enough of it in there to trust that she wouldn’t hurt her, then he believed her too. 

“Let’s get this over with then,” he said. “You’re still not touching me though. No Hell bitch was ever in my skin.”

“Fine,” she said, giving him an exasperated look. Then she turned to Richie and said with all sincerity, “If it would make you more comfortable, Richard, you can drink from me first.” 

He shrugged and grunted, feigning indifference. Kate knew better though. He might trust Kate, but he had to be sure Alessandra wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. That meant he had to go first before he would let her anywhere near. She could live with that. She trusted his judgement too, knowing he would be extra careful. If he even had the slightest inkling that she meant any harm to Kate, he wouldn’t let her touch her. He’d probably even attack her. God, she hoped Alessandra was as honest as she seemed.

Alessandra took a step closer to Richie, bringing her wrist up to him. She nodded to it to let him know that was where he was allowed to to drink from, and that she was ready. 

He took her wrist in his large hands as his face changed to that familiar snake form. His yellow eyes staring her down before he reared back, fangs flexing forward. He sunk his teeth in fast, and she winced with the sensation of her flesh being pierced. 

Richie’s eyes went wide as Alessandra’s hot blood flooded into his waiting mouth with a wave of information, memories, and feelings. He was seeing so much all at once. It was difficult to focus. It was so intense, but he finally was able to pull a few coherent fragments from her mind. 

First he saw her enter her library, seeing the blood all over the room, but no Vincenzo. He saw the open safe and felt her anguish as she realized the stone was missing. He remembered a conversation with Vincenzo about the other missing people and relics. Then he saw her enter what he somehow knew was a witch coven. All thirteen of them dead, bullet wounds and holes littered their bodies and the room around them. Some he could tell were tortured, knife wounds carving them up like Thanksgiving turkeys. From the smell of it, they had been dead at least a week.

Then everything changed. He realized she must be older than he initially thought, as memories of horse-drawn carriages, old fashioned Model-T-like Fiats, and rolling hills filled with grape vines pushed their way through. He could feel the memory of the warmth of the sun on her skin as she ran through the vineyards with her brothers. Yes, she had brothers. Two of them, Luca and Enzo, as all three of them chased her baby sister, Lucia, who ran giggling between the rows. 

Next was the feeling of sickness and death. A funeral, her father’s funeral. The loneliness she felt knowing he left her. Then learning her brother died, feeling that same loneliness. He felt weakness, and emptiness as her life slipped away between vicious coughing fits. He saw a blood-soaked handkerchief, and felt a pain in his chest so great it was pure suffering.

“Enough!” Yelled Alessandra, as she yanked her arm free from Richard’s grasp. “Some things are private, Gecko!” 

He blinked at her in astonishment. “I. . I’m sorry,” he stuttered. “I didn’t mean to.”

She sighed, agitation slipping away like a blade of grass in the wind. “You are forgiven.”

“Were you able to see what I was seeing?” He asked out of pure curiosity.

“Yes.”

“It’s not like that with Culebras. It’s usually a one way street.”

“Well then,” she said with a smirk. “I guess that’s another difference between Culebras and Vespertilio, the bat vampires.”

“Vespertilio?” Asked Seth. “Is that what you call yourselves?”

“Yes,” she replied. “It means bat in Latin. We’ve been around for awhile. Longer than Culebras.”

“There are witches?” Asked Richie, thinking about what he saw in her memories.

“Yeah,” replied Alessandra. “They are one of the four, just like Culebras and Vespertilio.”

“I’m gonna go out on a limb here,” mussed Seth, “and say the other one is a werewolf. Isn’t it?”

“You are correct, Seth,” she said with amusement. “Would you like to know what you’ve won?”

“If it isn’t world where none of this shit exists, then no.”

She smiled at that. “I like you, Seth Gecko. The world you think you knew is falling down around you, and yet you still have hope that one day you will wake up, and it will all be a dream.”

“More like a nightmare,” he said in a harsh, frustrated voice.

She shrugged at his choice of words. Nightmare? Dream? It didn’t matter. She knew he wasn’t waking up from it regardless. It was real, and no amount of hoping was going to change that.

“Okay,” said Alessandra, turning away from Seth to face Richie. “My turn.”

Richie handed her his wrist, figuring if it was okay for him to drink from, it was okay for her to drink from. “Will I see everything you see?”

“Not sure,” she said. “Although, it seems unlikely. If it is a one way street like you said, I doubt it will change with me.”

He shrugged, not truly caring to see what she saw. It was more a curiosity on his part. This was all new to him, and Richard Gecko liked learning new things. He wanted to know everything about Vespertilio. Witches and werewolves too.

Her eyes changed to their amber color as she opened her mouth, again showing her bat-like fangs. She bit into his wrist, but there was no wince from him. She was right about the numbing agent, he felt nothing at all. No pain, no pressure, no surge of electricity. Before he knew it, she was pulling away, apparently getting everything she needed. Her release was nothing like a Culebra. Their hooked, needle like, snake fangs tore away flesh unless the bitter was totally careful. Her fangs retracted effortlessly, causing no tearing at all. There were just neat little bite marks on his wrist, which quickly healed away. 

She closed her eyes and licked her lips and teeth as she lavished the taste of him on her tongue. “I’ve never tasted a Culebra before,” she said with a nearly evil grin. “It’s different. Strong. Powerful. And something else altogether.” She stared at him intently. “You are a riddle, wrapped in an enigma, Richard Gecko. You soul is a twisted and beautiful thing, laced in darkness and pain. And yet there is a light in you that I cannot explain, ever growing and pure. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the infamous Gecko brothers, but I find you both. . . delightful.”

Seth huffed from the other side of the room. What the fuck was going on, he thought. Richard has a pure soul? The dark and twisted part he could understand. Hell, he could even understand the light in it, but pure seemed like a foreign word when applied to his brother. He loved Richard very much, and knew there was good in him. He always knew that, saw it from the time they were kids, but there was always something in him he couldn’t explain. Something that separated Richie from everyone else. He was cold, calculating, and practical. Capable of doing unspeakable things, but then could turn around and be loving and caring. It was remarkable, and also creepy at times. Even so, pure was not a word Seth would ever use to describe is brother’s soul. 

“Your turn now, Katie-Cakes,” said Alessandra, ripping Seth from his thoughts.

Kate was taken aback. Nobody called her that anymore. It must have been something she saw in Richie’s memory. She wondered if Alessandra saw when the brothers had taken her family hostage. She must have, she thought. 

Kate looked at Richie, asking with her eyes if he thought she was okay. He nodded. Kate held up her wrist to the other vampire, who took it gently. Alessandra smiled at her with vampire fangs. It was meant to be comforting, she could tell, but it was actually a little disheartening. 

Her bite was so gentle, not at all like Kate had imagined. The whole thing was quick and painless. As Alessandra pulled away, Richie moved in. Pulling his pocket square from his suit jacket to use as a bandage for Kate’s wrist. She didn’t heal as fast as he did, and with the addition of an anticoagulant, blood was pouring from her arm. He applied pressure to the fresh wound to stop the bleeding.

“You get what you need?” Asked Seth.

“Yeah,” said Alessandra. “I think so.”

They stayed in the office to further discuss the current situation. Alessandra went into more detail about what she already knew, what she knew was already taken, and what she just learned from Kate’s blood. Amaru had a cult of humans that was trying to assist in her resurrection last time. One of them closely worked with Brasa, a Texas Ranger named Willet. Since they were in Texas, it was decided he would be a good place to start. If he wasn’t officially involved now, he might know who is.

“We should talk to Freddie,” suggested Kate. “He probably knows Ranger Willet.”

“Ah,” said Alessandra. “The peacekeeper. Even if he doesn’t, it might be good to get him involved. He has access to things we don’t, databases and other resources.”

“I’ll call him,” said Kate. “I’m pretty much the only one he likes out of the three of us. So he’s more likely to take my call.”

It was also decided that Kisa should be called in, so she knew what was going on. Kate was going to call her after Freddie. She also thought about telling Scott. Not that he was directly involved, but being a part of this group even as limited as he was, made in indirectly involved, which could mean trouble. He most likely wouldn’t stop his tour to join them, but at least he would have a heads up and could keep his eyes open for anything suspicious.

Alessandra thought it would be a good idea to stick close by for a bit in case anything popped up. Plus she wanted to be there to interrogate Ranger Willet. Kate suggested that she stay at the Jacknife since they had a guest bedroom in their wing anyway. Both Richie and Seth glared at her after that suggestion. They thought she was being too nice, and too trusting. Alessandra took her up on it though, so now they were stuck with her, at least for the time being. 

With no more to discuss currently, Kate went back to her podium to finish her shift as a hostess. Richie and Seth went up to the bar to both manage it and drink. Alessandra took the opportunity to go back to her hotel room, stating she would be back tomorrow night. She was gonna check out in the morning, and bring her stuff to her new spot in the Gecko’s guest room. 

The rest of the night didn’t go as either Richie or Kate had hoped. All plans of figuring out their new places in each other’s lives were put on hold. Neither was in the flirting mood at the moment. The impending doom was a real downer. Tomorrow was a new day though, and as good a time to start as any. If only the end of the world bullshit could hold off a little longer. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie watched Kate from across the bar. A slow smile spread across his face as she tucked her hair behind her ear while talking to a customer at the hostess podium. She seemed to be glowing today, and he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

“You’re staring, Richard,” griped Seth, who was sitting next to him at the bar.

“What? No I’m not.”

“Yeah, brother, you are. And it’s starting to get creepy as shit. You’ve been staring at her all damn day. What the fuck is going on with you two?”

“What do you mean? Nothing.”

“Then why can neither of you stop looking at each other? Every time I look up she’s staring at you too.”

“Really?” He asked, with a hint of excitement.

“Yep.” 

Richie took the opportunity to glance back at Kate. She turned to him, and when she saw him looking her way, she bit her inner lip and smiled, blushing.

“You see what I mean?” Asked Seth. “You’re both staring at each other. Spill it Richard.”

“There’s nothing to spill, Seth.”

“Then explain.”

“I don’t know,” said Richie in exasperation. “Nothing really happened between us.”

“You’re lying.”

“No I’m not, Seth.”

Just then, Lindsey sauntered her way over to the brothers. She was one of the bartenders behind the bar tonight.

“Can I get you anything, Richie?” She asked, completely ignoring Seth for the moment.

“Whiskey.”

“Comin’ right up, daddy,” she said in a sultry manner, giving him a look of pure seduction.

She brought him a fresh glass, and a bottle of his favorite whiskey. She leaned over the bar to pour his glass, exposing as much of her breasts as her little tank top would allow.

Seth wasn’t the only one to notice her little show, as they both looked her up and down. He did seem to be the only one amused though. He thought she was a tool, but he had to admit she was hot, and Seth Gecko never turned down an exposed set of tits. Not even if they belonged to a skank like Lindsey, who was relentless in her flirting with Richard. 

“Anything else I can get you, baby?” She asked while trailing her finger across the silver chain that hung just above her heaving breasts, inviting them to keep looking.

“I think we’re good, sister,” said Seth with a smirk.

She glared at him like he was ruining her fun. “Well you boys let me know if you need anything. Anything at all. You call and I’ll come,” she said biting her lip and running her hand across Richie’s arm. Then she went on her merry way, attending to another patron at the other end of the bar.

“I know you’re playing the long game with Kate, brother, but that is a good option for your short game.”

“It’s not like that, Seth. I’m not playing any games with Kate.”

“I know, I know. You love her and you respect her. I’ve heard it all before, Richie. But love and respect don’t mean anything if you still don’t go after the girl, Richard. What are you gonna do when Kate gets tired of waiting around for you to grow a pair, and gets herself a man?”

Richie glared at his brother. He didn’t like the idea of Kate with another man, and sometimes his brother’s advice was not really wanted to begin with. This was one of those times.

“Don’t worry about it, Seth. I have it under control.”

“Have what under control?” He asked sarcastically. “Your staring game? Cause that’s all I’m seeing so far.”

“For your information, brother, I kissed her the other night.”

“Yeah, yeah. I saw your little peck at your party. It’s not enough if you want to keep the other men at bay, Richard.”

“I’m not talking about that,” he spat.

“You’re not? Then what are you talking about, Richard?”

“After the party. I kissed her after the party.”

That was news to him. Kate hadn’t mentioned anything to him when he talked to her yesterday. Now she’s keeping secrets from him, huh? First the New Year’s kiss incident, and now this. These two were just full of surprises.

“Details, brother,” he said. “I need details.”

Before Richie could get a word out, Kate came in between them.

“Two Dos Equis, a long island, and an iced-tea for table seven, Ricardo,” she said, getting the other bartender’s attention. He nodded and got the order ready.

“What are my two favorite brother’s up to tonight?” She inquired, putting her arms around both of their shoulders.

“Oh nothing, Princess,” said Seth. “Just a bit of conversation.”

“Any particular topic?”

“Right now,” he said with a smirk. “We’re discussing Richard’s oral habits.”

“Shut up Seth,” said Richie under his breath.

Ricardo brought the drinks for Kate. “On that note, I’ll be going. You boys be good,” she said. She gave Seth a quick kiss on his cheek before moving to Richie. Her lips lingered on Richie’s cheek just a bit longer, while she moved her arm from around Seth, and placed her hand on Richie’s chest as she did. She slid both of them across his body as she turned to grab her drink tray, and darted off.

“Okay,” said Seth. “Now you need to tell me what happened.”

“It was nothing, Seth. I just kissed her after the party. It’s not a big deal.”

“It’s clearly a big enough deal that you two have been creeping on each other all day.”

“It was just a kiss.”

“And then what? Don’t think I didn’t notice that you spent the night in her room.”

“And then nothing. We went to bed.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“So let me get this straight,” said Seth. “You were alone in bed with the girl of your dreams, you kissed her, and then you just went to sleep?”

“Yes.”

“What the fuck is wrong with you, Richard?”

“I don’t know!” Yelled Richie in frustration.

“Jesus Christ, Richard. What are you waiting for?”

“I don’t know. I just need to be sure before I do anything, Seth.”

“How are you not sure? Did she pull away? Or tell you to stop?”

“No.”

“Has she stopped talking to you?”

“No.”

“Well then I think you should be pretty damn sure now, Richie.”

“I don’t know, Seth. Maybe I am.”

“Maybe?” Seth yelled in exasperation. “What more do you need? A neon fucking sign?”

“You need one? I got one,” said Alessandra as she pulled out the stool next to Seth. “How’s it going boys?”

“Just peachy,” said Seth, still a little frustrated. 

“Am I interrupting something?” She asked.

Just then an idea occurred to Seth. “Yes, but maybe you could help. We need a woman’s opinion.”

“Seth,” Richard snarled.

“Richard,” he spat back.

“Oh boy,” she said, sarcasticly. “This sounds like it’s gonna be fun. Proceed.”

“First of all, Cupcake. Do you always go by Alessandra, or is there something shorter we can call you? It’s a bit of a mouthful."

“You can call me Al if you want. That’s what Vincenzo calls me.”

“Okay, Al,” he continued. “My brother has a thing for a girl, but he isn’t sure she has a thing for him. He’s known her for a long time, but he kissed her the other night, she kissed him back. Now they keep giving each other puppy eyes, but he’s still unsure if he should take the next step.”

“This girl,” she said with a grin. “It wouldn’t happen to be Kate? Would it? Cause if it is, I think you’ll be okay.”

Seth pounded his fist on the bar and burst out laughing. “See brother! Everyone can see it. Hell, she’s only know you two for one day and can already see it.”

Richie looked to the side, looking both abashed and irritated.

“You gonna ask her out?” She asked.

Maybe,” he spat. “What’s it to ya?”

“Just sayin’, there’s no time like the present. A woman appreciates a man with a little initiative, Richie,” she said, winking at him.

By now, Lindsey could see Richie’s irritated expression from the other side of the bar, and sashayed her way over to invade his conversation.

“What’s the matter, baby?” She asked, after suggestively pulling a sucker from between her lips. “You need something?” 

“I’m fine,” he replied, with a rude tone.

She leaned over the bar again to grab his hand, and to yet again expose her chest to him. She started massaging his large hand between hers, biting her lip and looking up at him from under her long lashes. “You sure there’s nothing I can do for you, daddy?”

“I said I’m fine,” he said, snatching his hand from hers.

“I, on the other hand, Sugar Tits, need you to go get me a gin and juice,” said Alessandra with a pleased smile.

“Sure thing,” said the now both embarrassed and pissed off Lindsey as she walked away.

“Who the fuck is this bitch,” asked Al, laughing and gesturing over her shoulder towards Lindsey.

“Oh that,” said Seth, chuckling. “That’s Lindsey. Richie’s other love interest.”

“She’s not my love interest, Seth.”

“Good,” said Al. “You could do better. Personally, I like Kate,”

Richard glared at the both of them. Seth and Alessandra were like a tag team, and it was two against one. He didn’t like those odds. “Would you guys relax.”

Just then Lindsey plopped down Al’s drink with a thud. She gave the Vespertilio an angry smirk as she thanked her, then stomped away.

“I think we pissed her off,” she chuckled at Seth. Who gave her a pleased smile in return.

They continued their conversation, without Richie, for a few minutes. He noticed the ease in which they spoke to one another. They were like two peas in a pod, a sarcastic pod to be exact. It was odd that Seth was already comfortable with her, especially with her being a vampire. He was usually standoffish, but perhaps he no longer felt threatened by her, and therefore could carry a normal conversation with her. Granted this particular conversation consisted of them making fun of Richie, and making snide remarks about Lindsey glaring from across the bar.

Just then a pair of warm arms wrapped around Richie’s neck. It was Kate, he could tell by the smell of her shampoo.

“Hey Alessandra,” she said. “Did either of these two knuckleheads offer to show you to your room yet?”

“Why no they haven’t,” she replied.

“Well I can show you after my shift is done in about an hour. If you like.”

“That would be great, Kate. Thank you.”

“Sure, no problem," she said over Richie's shoulder, before pulling him closer and saying, "Hey Richie."

“Yeah?”

“I was thinking. You and I didn’t get to finish our movie the other night. You maybe want to finish it tonight? I can make us popcorn and we can watch it on the big TV in the living room.”

“Sure, Kate. That sounds good,” he replied.

“Oh, and I have a favor to ask you,” she said as she walked around to his side. “Would you mind giving me one of your amazing foot rubs during the movie? It’s just these new shoes are killing me,” she said lifting her leg up behind her, giving him a good view from her plump, round ass, down the length of her smooth leg to her brand new pumps. 

“Ummm, yeah. No problem,” he said, not blinking as he looked her over.

“Thanks,” she smiled. She kissed him on the cheek again, and let her lips brush against him as she whispered, “You’re the best.” Then she bounced away to check on her tables.

“Okay,” interjected Al. “You can’t see that? She totally wants you.”

With that, both she and Seth snickered while exchanging a look. Richie did see that, more importantly, he felt that, and was lucky he was sitting at the bar so nobody saw where he felt it the most.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“We’ve secured the cargo for you, sir,” said a man in an all black suit to the boss sitting behind a large mahogany desk.

“Good. There were no problems, I presume?” 

“No, sir. There are so many so desperate to get over the border, they’ll take a helping hand from anyone who is willing to provide one. They had no idea what hit them,” he smiled.

“Good. Take me to them.”

The man behind the desk rose from his seat and followed the other man from the office, down a long dimly lit hall, and into the cargo area. There they were joined by two well armed guards. They walked over to one of the cargo containers. 

“Abre la puerta,” said the man in black to the guard standing in front of the container.

The guard nodded then opened the door with a loud squeak. Inside sat six miserable looking Mexicans. They were confused and angry. This is not what they expected when they crossed the border into Texas.

“Six down and two to go,” said the man in black. “You sure you want those two specifically? It would be easy for me to get two more of these.”

“No,” said the boss. “I want those two. She would want them too.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Richie sat on one end of the living room couch, Kate on the other. She laid with a bowl of popcorn on her stomach and her feet on Richie’s lap. He was gently yet firmly rubbing her one foot as they watched “The Princess Bride” for the second time that week. 

“Mmmm,” mumbled Kate around a mouthful of popcorn. “Richie that feels amazing. It’s just what I needed.”

He gave her a half smile and shrugged. “It’s my pleasure.”

“Where did you learn how to do this, because yours are always the best?”

He shrugged again, then said in a smug voice, “It’s all natural, baby.”

He had given her dozens of foot massages before. It started just over a year ago when Seth was out getting laid, leaving just the two of them to watch a movie on movie night. She spread out because there was room on the couch, and tossed her legs over him. Part of the way through the movie, he just started rubbing them. Not because she asked, more subconsciously. They were there, and he was doing it before he really even thought about it. He got a surprised squeal from Kate which made him realize what he was doing, he dropped her foot immediately. 

“Sorry,” he said. “I don’t know why I did that.”

“It’s okay,” she replied. “I mean, you can keep doing it if you want. I was just surprised. It’s not like I didn’t like it.” She nudged him with her foot and gave him a sly smile to get him to continue.

“Oh, okay. In that case,” he said, grabbing her foot and rubbing in earnest.

She often sighed when he rubbed her feet. He was good with his hands, gentle, but rough enough to really get the tension out. It always made her wonder what his hands would be like in other places. Now she was wondering what other natural talents he had.

She used this time as an opportunity to try something new. Usually she just sat there letting him do all the work, enjoying every second. Today, she had already promised herself that she was going to flirt with Richie to see what kind of reactions she could get, wanting to see if Seth was right. So far she caught him staring at her several times from across the bar, leading her to believe he was thinking of her as much as she was thinking of him, since their little kiss. She also watched him stare at her ass, and down her leg earlier when she asked for this little massage, saw the gulp he gave as he slowly took the sight in.

So far things were going well, but she wanted more. She slowly ran her free foot up his thigh, getting close to that particular part of him before slowly running it back down to his knee. She did it several times before his squirming to changes positions gave her the impression that she was in fact getting the desired reaction. He gulped again before giving her a glance out of the corner of his eye. She couldn’t help but smile as she moaned again as his grip became tighter on her foot.

“You want some popcorn, Richie,” she breathed his name in her best sexy tone.

He didn’t answer with words, just nodded his head and gave a nondescript mumble. He moved one of his hands to grab some.

No,” she scolded, moving the bowl further from him. “You keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll feed you the popcorn. Your hands are more useful where they are.”

He went back to rubbing her foot as she sat up, careful to leave her feet on his lap. She grabbed a piece of popcorn and brought it to his lips, placing it in his mouth. He took it no questions asked, even though this was kind of an odd and sensual situation. She repeated this action several times, inching closer to his face. Her free hand had now found its way to the back of his neck and was rubbing at the little hairs at the base. He sighed, closed his eyes, and hunched into her touch as she ran her fingers through his hair. 

She made her way even closer to him, breathing along his cheek. His eyes shot open as she turned his face to hers. He parted his lips to say something, and she bit down on hers when she saw the glazed look in his eyes. She moved to place her lips on his.

“Hey, you two,” shouted Seth as he barged through the door.

They turned to look at him, giving him identical looks of aggravation.

“Hope I’m not interrupting something,” he said giving them a smirk.

“Yeah, Seth,” said Richie with a more than displeased scoff. “You kind of are.”

Kate was surprised by his tone, but liked it. He was clearly as pissed as she was at Seth’s interrupting their moment. She smiled again, now she knew for sure he wanted her as bad as she wanted him. 

“Sorry,” said Seth, keeping that grin on his face. “But the ranger’s here. He wants to talk to all of us.”


	5. Lessons Learned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After interrogating Ranger Willet, Kate works on her plan to snag Richie.
> 
> Tidbit:  
> She wanted to look good, but not slutty, that wasn’t her style. She needed a second opinion because she wanted to do it right. This was going to be a big night for her if she wanted to seal the deal with Richie. Unfortunately she didn’t have many girl friends, and Seth would be next to no help. Obviously she couldn’t ask Richie, that would ruin the surprise.

Freddie, Kate, Alessandra, and the brothers crammed into their office to discuss what was going on. Kate filled him in on some of this when they were on the phone, but they gave him the rest of the information now that he was here. It was easier in person, and Alessandra could explain any questions he had. She even showed him what she looks like when she’s all fanged out. 

“Goddamn,” he said when she was done demonstrating. “As if vipers weren’t enough.”

She just shrugged and made her way back to the little couch next to Kate. Her gin and juice was there anyway.

“You know this Willet, Ranger?” Asked Richie.

“Yeah, I do,” he replied. “Personally.”

“How personally?” Asked Seth.

“Enough that it isn’t a total surprise. I should have known he was up to something. Son of a bitch was working for Brasa. Tried handing me over to him.”

“You knew this two years ago and did nothing?” Asked Richie, harshly.

“Look after that bitch was back where she belonged I didn’t think he was going to be an issue. His boss was gone, so I figured he was no harm. Guess I was wrong.”

“Yeah, I guess you were, Ranger,” said a very irritated Richie.

“Easy Richard,” interrupted Seth before turning on Freddie himself. “You didn’t even think to check up on this guy?”

“No, but when I finally did, he was gone.”

“Great,” he said. “So he’s in the wind. Probably hooking up with these assholes to again bring Hell on Earth.”

“I didn’t say that. I looked into it after Kate called. I know where he is now.”

“And where is that?” Asked Richie.

“He retired. Got himself a little shack on Eagle Mountain Lake.”

“Where the fuck is that?” Asked Seth.

“About four hours northwest of here.”

“Well shit,” said Seth. “I guess we better get rambling if we want to make it by morning.”

“Are we gonna need a place to stay out there?” Asked Kate. “It’s a long trip both ways.”

“You’re not going, Princess.”

“Why not?”

“Because five’s a crowd. Besides it’s just a little interrogation. You’re not gonna miss anything.”

“I am just as much a part of this team as anyone, Seth.”

“Yeah, well there’s too many men on the field, sweetheart. I’m gonna need you to sit this one out.”

“This is bullshit, Seth. Richie,” she whined.

“What?” Asked a shocked Richie. “I agree with him, Kate. There’s no need for you to go. It’s just gonna be an in and out.”

“You guys are such assholes,” she pouted. 

“Kate, please,” he said. “Please just stay here. I’d feel a lot better knowing you’re safe at home.”

“But Richie,” she pleaded.

“No buts,” he said. “Please. Just this once would you not argue with us? Please, Kate.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“We know you can,” interrupted Seth, seeing Richie faltering. Goddammit, he never says no to her. She always gets her way with Richie, so Seth always has to be the bad guy. “Kate, I’m not saying it again. Sit this one out. Please.”

“Fine,” she said as she got up to leave. She didn’t even look at any of them as she flung open the door. She hated when they did that. Sometimes they could be too overprotective. She was not a child, and didn’t deserve to be treated like one. She could hold her own, especially against some crusty, old ranger.

Shortly after that, the rest of them got on the road to Ranger Willet’s place. Richie stalled a bit to see if she would come say bye. She didn’t, and that hurt. He didn’t like when she was mad at him. He wasn’t doing it to be mean, he just honestly thought it would be better for her to stay here, out of harm’s way. Why couldn’t she just understand that she was too precious to him to loose? 

He didn’t like leaving her this way, but knew they would only get in a fight if he went to her. She would win, as usual, and she would now be sitting in the car with them, and Seth would be pissed. Then they would get in a fight about him being weak, and an idiot, and how could he possibly be pussy whipped if he never even got any. He’s been down that road before. Sometimes there was just no winning.

An hour later Kate was sitting in her room watching reruns of “Grey’s Anatomy”, when her phone buzzed. She looked at it. It was a text from Richie. All it said was “I’m sorry”. 

She gave a sad smile. She knew he must feel bad about how they left things. He really did care for her, even if he was pig headed and overprotective. He was trying to do what was best for her, like he always did. She couldn’t stay mad at him, even if she wholeheartedly disagreed with him. She text him back, “I know. So am I”.

Seeing her text back brought a relieved smile to his face. Now that her being pissed at him was off his mind, he felt more like himself. He could focus on the task at hand, finish it, and make his way back to her. Hopefully they could even start again where they left off.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ranger Willet’s retirement house was about four hours away from Jacknife Jed’s. It was a bit of a hike, but a necessary one. If he knew anything, they had to know what it was.

They pulled up around three in the morning, using darkness in their favor, and boy was it dark out here. He lived in what was little more than a trailer on a lake, surrounded by woods. No neighbors in sight. Perfect. Nobody to hear him scream, if it came to that. For that reason alone, seclusion was overrated.

They parked about a half mile back so he wouldn’t hear the car coming. They walked in complete darkness to the trailer. Luckily they had a Culebra and a Vespertilio with them, their near perfect night vision made flashlights unnecessary. 

When they got close, Freddie gestured for Richie and Al to go around back. Then pointed to Seth and himself to signal they would go in through the front. They were going to cover both exits in case he got the idea to run. They headed off to their destinations, guns drawn.

The front door was locked, so Freddie had to pick it. Willet was old, but was a good shot, so they wanted to sneak up on him if at all possible. That meant breaking down the door wasn’t an option. They quietly made their way inside. Richie and Al did the same from the back.

The TV was on in the living room, and gave a blue glow to the otherwise dark room. Freddie crept to the couch, gun drawn. The floorboards creaked as he got close, and he stopped, listening for any noise from the couch. There was none, so he inched forward, Seth on his tail.

“You think I don’t know you’re in here?” Came a scratchy voice, as he made it about a foot from the back of the couch. With that he heard the click of a gun.

“Give it up, Willet,” said Freddie. “You’re outnumbered. Four to one.”

“In my day, I’d of shot you all by now, and been watchin’ you bleed out on my new carpet,” he said with a harsh laugh. 

Then he clicked the safety back on and stood up, facing Freddie and Seth. Just then Richie and Al darted around the corner.

“Miss me?” He asked Freddie with a grin.

In response Freddie punched him right in the nose. The old Ranger’s head flung back, nose bloody, and he fell back on the couch. The collected him, and tied him to one of his kitchen chairs before he regained consciousness.

Freddie backhanded Willet across the face, startling him awake.

“Easy Ranger,” chided Seth. “You don’t want to kill the old man before he talks.”

Willet laughed. “I’ll answer your questions, boy. It ain’t gonna matter anyway. There’s nothin’ you can do to stop 'im.”

“Why don’t you let us decide that,” said Seth.

“Get to it, Willet,” said Freddie, angrily. 

“It ain’t just a few humans and Coo-lee-bras you’re after,” twanged Ranger Willet. “He’s got a full scale operation. All around the world. And members of all four houses behind ‘im.”

“Who is he?” Asked Freddie.

“Don’t know, don’t care. All I want is my place at the table when the world flips upside down.”

“You think you’re getting something from this?” Asked Freddie.

“I did my part. They know my demands.”

“Your demands,” scoffed Al. “I don’t think they give a shit about your demands. You’re cannon fodder, disposable.”

“So are you, Vespertilio. You ain’t nothin’ to them. The rest of you are just pawns. None of you got anything to worry about though. You won’t be here to see it after he’s done.”

“Neither will you,” said Richie as he shifted to his snake form, fangs descending from the roof of his mouth.

“You think you scare me, Gecko?” Laughed Willet. “I’ve been dealin’ with your kind since before you were born.”

“Guess you won’t have to worry about that much longer,” snarled Richie around his fangs.

“Easy, Richie,” said Seth. “Where’s this operation you speak of? Got anything local?”

“Yeah, he’s got some place near the border. I hear he’s shippin’ in Mexicans for the ritual. Ain’t nobody gives a damn ‘bout some missing illegals,” he said looking Freddie in the eye, clearly trying to rile him up. 

“You’re gonna have to be more specific,” said Freddie, in a harsh tone.

“Can’t. Never been there,” he smirked.

“What else does he have?” Asked Alessandra.

“Well, I got him her resurrection stone,” he said proudly. 

“What else?" Asked Freddie.

“How should I know? But he’s close. I know that. Got most of what he needs,” he laughed. “You’re too late this time Peacekeeper. All’s I know is you better guard that little Santa Sangre soaked bitch of yours. He wants her somethin' terrible.”

Richie quickly punched the old man in the throat. Nobody calls Kate a bitch. He’s lucky he didn’t break his jaw, would have if they didn’t want him to keep talking. He was definitely going to enjoy killing him when they were done.

Willet coughed as he choked on the force in which Richie punched him. “Did I say something to offend you, boy?” He croaked hoarsely. “She yours? A little slut like that, fuckin’ coo-lee-bra scum like you. . .”

Richie hissed as his fangs shot down, grabbing Willet by the throat.

“Richard!” Shouted Seth as he pushed him away. “Don’t let him get under your skin. We still need him to talk.”

“He doesn’t get to talk about her like that and live, Seth,” yelled Richie. “I’m gonna have to kill him.”

Willet laughed behind him, “That little whore must have a tight, little pussy, to get you so whipped.”

Richie lunged at him again.

“Enough!” Shouted Seth. “Get your boy to shut the fuck up, or start telling you what you need, Ranger. You,” he turned to Richie as he continued to push him back as far from Willet as possible. “Be cool.”

Just then, Willet’s eyes shot open and his head shot back, mouth opening in a silent scream. Blood poured from his eyes, ears, nose, and corners of his mouth. His face drained of color as blue veins became apparent through his translucent skin. His body shook violently before he finally slumped in his chair, dead.

“What the fuck just happened?” Shouted Seth.

“Witch magic,” replied Al. “They shut him up.”

“That’s just great,” he snarled. “Now what?”

“I have no fucking clue,” she sighed.

Richie was pissed. Now he wouldn’t even get the pleasure of killing him himself.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate wanted to wear something sexy to the show, wanted to make sure Richie couldn’t take his eyes off her. She needed something new, nothing she had was gonna cut it. Maybe a little black dress, she thought. Shouldn’t every woman own one? At least that’s what she heard. Maybe it was time she got one. 

She wanted to look good, but not slutty, that wasn’t her style. She needed a second opinion because she wanted to do it right. This was going to be a big night for her if she wanted to seal the deal with Richie. Unfortunately she didn’t have many girl friends, and Seth would be next to no help. Obviously she couldn’t ask Richie, that would ruin the surprise. 

She got along with Peaches pretty well, she was about the same age as Kate, but also seemed to be pretty awkward. She was sweet and kind, but dressed like a free spirited hippie. That is not what Kate was looking for. Kisa would possibly be a good option, she definitely knew how to be sexy. But she and Kate were not that close, plus she was God knows where currently, and the show was tomorrow. That really just left Alessandra. Kate didn’t know her that well, but she seemed okay. It’s not like she was asking a huge favor, she just needed her opinion. She seemed nice enough to want to help with something like that.

It was four in the afternoon, Al was up and moseying around the complex. After everything with Ranger Willet yesterday, she was a bit on edge. They got some information from him, but no new leads. It was just a waiting game now, and she was looking for something to put her at ease. She was a guest here at the Jacknife, and only felt somewhat invited. Kate was pleasant to her, but the brother’s only talked to her when they had to. Kate coming up to her was a welcome distraction.

“Hey Al,” she said.

“What’s up Kate?”

“I’m not sure if anyone told you, but my brother is in a band, and has a show in the area tomorrow. We’re going to go see him, along with Kisa and her current girlfriend. Do you think you would be interested in joining us?"

“Sure," said Al in surprise. “That sounds like fun. It definitely beats just sitting around here waiting for them to make another move.” 

“Great,” said Kate. “I was also kind of wondering if you could help me pick something out to wear.”

“Ummm, sure?” She said raising her eyebrows in question.

“It’s just, I kind of have someone that I want to look good for, and I’m not quite sure what to wear for that.”

“So you’re trying to impress someone. You want to look sexy, perhaps? Want him to notice you?”

“Yeah, kind of,” said Kate, blushing. “I don’t think I own anything that will work.”

“Alright,” she said. “I’m down. You just gotta tell me who it is first.”

“Why does that matter?”

“How am I supposed to know what they like if I don’t know who they are? Plus,” she said with a smirk. “I’m nosy and I just want to know.”

Kate raised an eyebrow. She just couldn’t believe how much like Seth she was sometimes. Maybe she was not the best choice after all. If this was going to be like any time she shopped with him, she was in for a real ride.

“Okay, just tell me,” pleaded Al. “Is it Richie?”

Kate’s face turned bright red. “Why would you say that?”

“It is, isn’t it?” She smiled. “No need to be embarrassed, Kate. Richie's a fine choice. He’s tall, smart, loaded, and smokin’ hot. You could do worse. Plus I have two eyes and a brain, so I put two and two together.”

“Is it that obvious? I thought Seth was just being an ass when he said that.”

“Oh no,” she smirked. “It’s that obvious. No worries, Kate. I won’t tell him. But I will help you find the right outfit to help you snag your man.”

Two hours, and five failed dress shops later, Kate and Al took a breather and got some smoothies. Kate just couldn’t seem to find the right one. Some said slut, others said mom on a night out. Neither was what she wanted. She wanted classy and sexy. Didn’t they make that? Al was being a real trooper, going with her from store to store, helping her narrow down her choices, and giving her honest opinion when she tried them on.

She could sense Kate’s frustration as they left another store empty handed. That is why she offered to get her a smoothie. She hoped it would take her mind off the lack of a dress for just a minute and help her relax. Plus, if she was truly honest, she needed a break anyway. She couldn’t remember the last time she spent two hours shopping and trying on dresses. In fact, she was pretty certain she had never spent two hours doing any such thing. 

“So,” said Alessandra, breaking the silence. “Why Richie?”

“What?” Asked kate, furrowing her brows.

“Why are you willing to go through all this trouble for him? I mean, he seems like a decent guy, and he’s totally hot, but is he really worth it?”

“I don’t know. Yeah, I guess. He’s just really important to me.”

“You love him?” She asked.

“Yes,” said Kate with a small smile. “I do love him.”

Alessandra huffed a little laugh. “Well, if it’s any consolation, I can tell he really loves you too.”

“Really?” Asked Kate in surprise. “You just met him.”

“He’s almost as easy to read as you are,” she chuckled.

Kate smiled at the thought of Richie loving her back. After all, she planned this whole sexy outfit for his benefit. She wanted him to know just how much she loved him, and wanted him to want her. She wanted to see how far she could push him, to test what it took for him to finally forget himself and just be with her. No more holding back, no more memories of her running from him, just him being not afraid to show her how he truly felt. And she wanted to show him how she truly felt, and that he was the one she wanted.

“What is it about him that has you all riled up?” Asked Alessandra, breaking Kate’s train of thought.

“I told you. I love him.”

“Well of all the guys you’ve met, there has to be a reason he is so special. I didn’t mean to pry when I was. . . sampling you, but you guys kind of had a rough beginning.”

“I don’t know. We just always had this connection. Even during all the things that happened in the beginning, he was easy to talk to, and I always trusted him. He’s just so sweet and thoughtful underneath all that professional thief bullshit. He’s always been so caring, protective, and gentle with me. It's just, he’s just always been there for me, you know.”

“I get it,” she said. “He’s your first love, isn’t he?”

Kate blushed, “Yes, and I want him to be my only love.”

“I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that you’ve never been with a man before?”

“So what? You have a problem with that?” Asked Kate, suddenly really defensive.

“Whoa whoa whoa,” said Alessandra, holding her hands up. “Take it easy. I wasn’t going to say anything bad about that. Hell, I’m over a hundred years old and I’ve only been with two men in my life. There’s nothing wrong with that, Kate. It’s actually nice. You’re a classy gal, and any good man would appreciate that.”

“Sorry,” said Kate shyly. “I’m just used to Seth poking fun at me about it.”

“That’s okay, he's clearly a dick,” said Al. She took a sip of her smoothie before moving on. “I was just wondering if that was something you’re ready for now, with Richie? And maybe that’s why you’re going through all this to get the perfect dress for him.”

Kate blushed again, and looked away, focusing on her own smoothie. “Yeah, I guess I am. And I want him to want me like that too.”

“Kate, he already does,” she said with a smirk. “But if you want to put on a show, a little teasing goes a long way, and I’m all for it. I’m gonna make it my mission to help you get your man, Kate. In any way that I can. This dress is only gonna be step one.”

Kate smiled back at the vampire across the table from her. She was glad that her initial opinion of her was correct. She was someone she could trust. Hell maybe she could really like Alessandra. She needed more women in her life, and not the girls at school who she had to sensor herself around. Alessandra already knew about everything that went bump in the night, and she could help Kate in ways the other girls couldn’t. She could be herself around her, and she didn’t seem to judge. Yes, she thought, I think I like Al, and I’m glad I asked her to go shopping with me today. Now if only they could find the right dress for tomorrow. 

After they finished their smoothies, they decided to give one more store a try. After a bit of browsing she finally made her way to the fitting room to try on their top picks.

She stepped out of the dressing room in her latest find, the fourth one from this particular store. It was a little black number, fitted, but not skin tight. It had a lower neckline, but didn’t show off a lot of cleavage, just a hint. It fanned out at the hips slightly and ended a few inches above the knee. To Kate it spoke classy, but she wasn’t sure it was sexy enough.

“What do you think?” She asked Alessandra giving a little twirl. 

“Ohhh, very nice. I like that one. It says sophisticated, but up for some fun.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, definitely. I like this one the best so far.”

“You think he’s gonna like it?” Kate asked shyly.

“Honey, he’s gonna want to eat you up in that thing, and not in the vampire kinda way. If you catch my drift,” she smiled.

“I really hope I’m not.”

Al laughed, “Just saying, Richard looks like a real cunning linguist. You know, a master of many tongues.”

“Oh my God,” yelped Kate in shock.

“What?” Chuckled Al. “That’s not a bad thing, Kate. You should be so lucky.”

It’s not like Kate wasn’t used to comments like this, she spent a lot of time around the brothers. Seth, she believed, liked to say things like that just to make her uncomfortable. He liked to watch her squirm. She doubted he would go that far when talking about his brother though. Alessandra on the other hand, didn’t seem to have a problem crossing that line.

Even so, if this little, black dress could make her make that statement, it made Kate believe she found the right one. Her commentary towards the other dresses was not anywhere near as colorful. This could be put in the win category. She just hoped she was right about Richie liking this dress. 

“Well, I guess this one is the winner then,” she smiled. “Now will you help me find the right shoes to go with it.”

“Sure,” said Alessandra. “You going for the fuck me heel look?”

“You know it,” she said, casting an evil smile at her while turning back into the fitting room.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Poof, and a cloud of dust and fire explode from what used to be a male body. A stake was carefully removed from the exploding heart, and placed back in the breast pocket of a suit jacket.

“We won’t need that any more,” laughed a man in a black suit, revealing Culebra fangs, as blood dripped from his mouth.

He calmly walked over to a large leather chair, and threw it to the side. Underneath there was a small hidden safe in the floor. He reminisced on what he just saw as he drank from the now deceased Vespertilio, and bent down to the safe. He typed in the code, and it clicked open. He pulled out an ugly, blood red chalice and smiled. Then pulled his phone from his pocket to make a call.

“We got it,” he said into the receiver. “The Vespertilio chalice is ours. Just a few more artifacts and we’re almost there.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Okay, Kate,” said Alessandra as she followed Kate into her room. “On to step three.”

“Step three? What were the first two?”

“Step one, finding a dress that makes Richard wanna drink you up. Step two, finding shoes that say fuck me. Step three, dance moves that drive the point home.”

“Really?”

“Yeah!” She said eyes wide with sarcasm.

“What did you have in mind?” Asked Kate. “I’m not sure I can be a sexy dancer.”

“Well the moves themselves are not as important,” said Al with a smirk. “It’s all about contact. As long as you’re touching him in all the right places, he won’t really care about the particular moves. Oh, and eye contact.”

“Okay?”

“First we need to find a substitute Richie for you to practice on. Get Seth down here.”

“Seth?!” Asked Kate. “Why him?”

“One, because I don’t know anyone else here. Two, because you seem pretty comfortable with him. And three, who would be a better stand-in than his brother? He has to know what Richie likes. Right?”

“I don’t want to dance like that in front of him.”

“Well, he’s gonna be at the show, so he’s gonna see it eventually,” she laughed. 

“I don’t think he’ll like this idea,” she said with a short huff.

“Tell him why. I’m sure he’ll be fine with it.”

Kate sighed then pulled out her phone. She sent a text to Seth saying, ‘meet me in my room, stat’. 

Five minutes later me barged in the door. “Alright Princess. What’s the emergency?” 

Kate raised an eyebrow at his lack of care for boundaries and personal space. “You could have at least knocked.”

“You said stat,” he said flatly.

“We need to borrow you for a bit,” said Al from across the room.

“For what?” He asked, eyeing the two women suspiciously.

“Kate needs a dance partner.”

“A what?”

“A dance partner, Seth.”

“For what?”

“So she can practice dancing, duh,” she said rolling her eyes.

“Why me?”

“Because we need a stand-in for a special someone that Kate wants to impress. I figured you were the closest thing.”

He looked at Kate, who was now beet red. “She put you up to this?”

She nodded.

“Do you really want to?” He asked, raising his eyebrows in question.

She nodded again.

“Well then,” he said. “I guess I’m your guy. If this is for that special someone we talked about, then I guess I owe you that much.”

“Great,” shouted Al in excitement, clapping her hands together. “I cued up some sex filled 80’s hits for you two to grind to. Don’t let me get in the way. Remember Kate, eye contact.”

With that, the dance practice fiasco started. Kate did a pretty good job based on the advice she already received, but got little hints from both Al and Seth as they continued. It was nice to have both perspectives. One from a woman, and one from a man. They were going pretty hot and heavy as Kate really got into it, pretending it was her intended target.

Seth stopped all of a sudden, cleared his throat, and moved away. “I think you’ll be fine, Kate.”

“Apparently,” chuckled Alessandra, noticing how much Seth was starting to enjoy it. “Hell, Kate. You don’t even have that dress on yet. You’re gonna have him squirming before you even make it to the dance floor.”

Kate smiled, feeling successful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! And thanks for reading this far. I'm trying to get more into the action part of this thing. Things will start heating up soon, I promise. Questions, comments, concerns, advice, all are always appreciated.


	6. A Night to Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the night of Scott's show. Time for Kate to get down to business, if she wants this night to be a memorable night with Richie.
> 
> Tidbit: As he slid his hands up her body, his thumb grazed the bottom of her left breast. She gave a slight moan at the sensation, and she pushed further back into him, grinding against his noticeable hard on. She could feel his breath on her neck, as his lips lingered just out of reach. The hands she had around his neck were now running through his hair, lightly tugging. She was aching for more.

A shot rings out, followed by a loud whine. A white wolf falls to the forest floor, a tranq dart buried in his neck. 

The man behind the gun smiles. “Got you, you sly son of a bitch. Thought you could outrun me?”

He pulls a walkie from his belt. “Move in. He’s down.”

A few minutes later a crew of people surrounds the wolf, picking him up and placing him in a solid steel cage. They close the door and load him into the back of a box truck.

The gunman is on his phone explaining to the man on the other side that the mission was complete and they were heading back. 

The voice on the other side asks, “What about the other one?”

“We’ll get her, boss. Don’t worry. We’ll head out as soon as we get this one to you.”

As he hangs up, and goes to pull the door closed on the truck. A sleeping, naked, man is now laying on the bottom of the cage.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kisa arrived in the late afternoon with her new girlfriend. They were all going to go to Scott’s show together later that night. First they had some things to discuss. 

They introduced her to Alessandra, who again insisted on blood sharing. She didn’t really trust the Snake Queen at first. Kisa didn’t trust her either. Who could really blame them though, it was kind of an uneasy situation. 

After they drank from each other the the palpable tension in the air faded almost completely away. Kisa admitted she had heard rumors of other supernaturals, but never knew for sure. She also never met anyone who actually met one, so she believe it was untrue. She spent the majority of her life sheltered from the world in a temple in Mexico, and it wasn’t like Malvado was willing to share that kind of information with her. 

Alessandra told her everything she had told the rest of them, and they discussed what happened with Ranger Willet.

“Have you heard anything from your people?” Asked Seth “About shit going down?”

“I have not,” she replied. “How long has this been going on?”

“Well, I don’t really know,” said Al. “But we first got wind of it about a year ago.”

“We?” Kisa questioned.

“My partner Vincenzo and I. We got a phone call about some missing and dead people. There were those who were getting suspicious because of who some of those people were. It seemed like people with, or connected to people with, artifacts were the majority. It lead us to believe someone was trying to collect them.”

“And you didn’t do anything about it until now?”

Al gave her a look of pure agitation. “Well we weren’t sure. And we didn’t know who was responsible or who they would go after next. It wasn’t until Vincenzo was taken, along with our resurrection stone, that I realized just how bad things had gotten. That’s when I moved into action.”

“Why him?”

“Because he knows a lot. If they get him to talk, whoever it is, they will have most of what they’re looking for. The only things he doesn’t know much about is where the Culebra artifacts are. He knew about you and Richard, which is how I found you guys. But we didn’t know who had the stone or the chalice. Now we know they already have the stone. You guys have plenty of Xibalban weapons just laying around just begging to be be relics, so all that’s left is the chalice. If they find that, we’re fucked.”

“Do you think he’ll talk?” Asked Seth.

“I’d like to say no, but who knows what they’re doing to him. If they’ve got members of all four houses like Willet said, there is no saying the kind of torture they’re putting him through.”

She looked visibly distressed when she finished talking. It was obvious it hurt for her to imagine the kind of pain he must be in. She kept calling him her partner, bur Kate knew he was more than that. While they were shopping, she got her to open up a bit about her past.

Vincenzo was the one who turned her, and she spent the last hundred years with him, most of which as a lover. Al told Kate that she was dying when he found her. She was wasting away in a tuberculosis hospital in Italy, when he came to her bed. She said he told her he had been watching her, and was pained by her suffering. Then he offered her what no Dr. could, a second chance. She begged for it, and he gave her new life, as a Vespertilio.

He was her world after that. She never saw her family again, she couldn't. How could she explain to them her miraculous recovery? She left the hospital with him that night with what little she still had, the clothes on her back, the locket her father gave her as a child, and a few family portraits. She had no one else, just him. And while they gained new friends and acquaintances over the years, they remained together. Always together, and now that he was gone, she had nothing. Kate could see the loneliness in her eyes even through the constant jokes and sarcasm. She played it off well, but Kate knew she was hurting.

She still wore the little, silver locket after all these years. Kate could see the chain now, as the locket itself was carefully hidden under her shirt. She tried for nonchalance and feigned indifference, but underneath it all, Al was lost. But like Seth, she liked to deal with her feelings on her own; liked to drown them in the bottom of a bottle. Kate was all too familiar with that type of healing, and knew it was best to leave her to it. Every time she pried with Seth, it just led to fights. She would give her her space, but be there if she wanted the companionship. 

With all the nasty details filled in, they parted for the time being. They had a little over an hour until they had to leave to go to Scott’s show, and planned to meet in the living room before they headed out. Kate was super excited. Both to see Scott again, and for Richie to see her new dress. She couldn’t wait to see his face when he first saw her, or to see his reactions when she finally got him on the dance floor.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alessandra entered the living room. Seth, Richie, Kisa, and her girlfriend, Marisol, were already there. Looks like they were waiting on Kate. Good, she thought. She would get a chance to make her entrance.

Everyone was dressed for the night. Kisa was wearing tight, white, high waisted, pants, a low cut, black shirt, and black boots. Marisol was wearing an ultra revealing, skin tight, red dress with tall heels. Seth was wearing black jeans, a black dress shirt, and his classic black vest. Even Alessandra was club-ish with tight jeans, and a low cut, black tank top, that showed just how much cleavage she actually had. And then there was Richie, who for some reason was still wearing a charcoal gray suit.

“Well I see most of us are ready for a night out,” said Al. Then she pointed to Richie, “Except you, who is apparently going to a funeral.”

“See,” said Seth. “I told you to lose the suit.”

“What is wrong with a suit?” Snapped Richie. “The song goes ‘every girl’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man’.”

“True,” said Al. “But this is a different occasion. You can still look sharp in less than a suit.”

“That is what I always tried to tell you, Richard,” pointed out Kisa. 

Just then the door opened, and in walked Kate. She looked gorgeous in her new, black dress, and heels. All eyes were on her.

“Wow, Kate,” said Seth, mouth practically hitting the floor.

“Estas preciosa,” said Kisa.

“Got anything to add, Richard?” Asked Seth, elbowing him in the side.

Richard gulped, cleared his throat, then said, “You look amazing, Katie.”

Alessandra nudged Kate from behind and gave her a wink. Kate blushed at all the attention. She looked back at Richie, who hadn’t even taken his eyes off her, he was busy trying to soak it all in.

“Well now that we have established that you look amazing, Kate,” said Al. “What do you think about what Richie’s wearing? You think it’s a bit much?”

“A little,” said Kate, looking away from him shyly.

“I still don’t see what’s wrong with this,” he said. “ I always wear suits.”

“Maybe we can tone it down for tonight, Richie,” said Kate. Then she walked over and took his hand. “Come on. I’ll help you pick something out.”

She lead him out of the room and away from the quartet of raised eyebrows. He followed her down the hall to his room. She immediately started digging through his closet when she got in there.

“Oh my God, Richie,” she said from within the closet. “Where are all your non dress clothes?”

“I don’t really have any.”

“I don’t even see any jeans.”

“I have a pair or two.”

“Really?” She asked, exiting his closet and walking towards him. “How come I’ve never seen you in them?”

“I prefer slacks.”

“Well we can do slacks for tonight,” she said looking down his tall frame. “Those will work, if we get a less formal looking shirt.” Then she reached for his tie, loosening it, “And we need to lose this.”

He gulped audibly at her closeness. She was undressing him, and he froze. When the tie was loose, she removed it from his neck, then turned to go back into the closet. She yelled, “And lose the jacket,” over her shoulder.

He quickly discarded it, throwing it to his bed. Calm down, he told himself. He couldn’t believe how he acting. She wasn’t trying to make this sexual, even though it kind of seemed like she was, but his stupid cock kept trying to tell him differently. 

She came back out holding a black, short sleeve, button down shirt. She raised her eyebrows at the expression on his face. 

“What?” She asked.

“Nothing,” he quickly responded.

“Okay,” she said, smiling on the inside because she could tell she was getting him all hot and bothered. “This will work. Let’s get you in this.”

He just stood there. Looking at her like he wasn’t understanding her words.

“That means you have to take that one off, Richie,” said as she walked back to him. 

She put his shirt next to his jacket on the bed, then went to help him with his buttons. He started actually moving once she got a few undone. When she realized he was finally again capable of undressing himself, she picked up the black shirt again and brought it over. 

He slipped off the formal, white shirt he was wearing and slid the new, black one on. He buttoned it all the way up, minus the top collar button.

Kate laughed and undid a couple more, “You know you don’t have to get them all, silly. You’ll look quite sexy showing a little bit of chest.”

She undid enough buttons that you could see his undershirt just peeking through. He did look sexy, she thought, damn sexy. She fought her instinct to just rip the damn shirt off.

“Come on,” she said, shaking it off. “We’re gonna be late.”

Then she grabbed his hand and dragged him back down the hall to the others. What the fuck just happened, he thought. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bar was hoppin' when they walked in, packed from wall to wall. The group made their way to the bar to grab drinks before making it further in. The band hadn’t started yet, so they still had time. Richie even bought Kate a rum and coke, one of her favorites. 

With drinks now in hand, they claimed a table closer to the stage, but off to the right. Only a few minutes later the opening act walked out. They really looked the part, dressed in spandex and black leather. The lead singer was even wearing a long, blonde wig and a bandanna.

“How you doin’ tonight?” He asked as the rest of the band settled in. He was answered by loud shouts and whistles. “You guys ready to take a walk on the Wild Side?”

With that the show began with the first riffs of Motley Crue. The crowd erupted again.

“Ohhhh,” shouted Al to Kate. “This is my jam!”

Looks like she was going to enjoy herself, Kate thought. Truth be told, Kate wasn’t too familiar with this kind of music, just the big hits. 

The band continued with Poison’s Unskinny Bop next, a song that Kate had never heard. Followed by Paradise City by Guns’n’Roses, which was the first song she had heard of so far. She actually liked that song. They played a few more songs she hadn’t heard before after that, but she was actually really enjoying it. From the looks of it, Al, Seth, and Richie were enjoying it too. Kisa and Marisol seemed to be as lost as Kate, but were having fun anyway, swaying to the beat.

“Time to switch it up a bit,” said the singer, after they finished the last song. “We all know the best 80’s band’s all had their power ballads. So it’s time to get close people.”

Al nudged Kate and pointed to Richie. “Get your man, girl,” she said as they started playing Love Bites by Def Leppard.

Kate took his hand and led him further onto the dance floor. At first he seemed a little hesitant, but she was insistent, so he followed. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, circling her hands around the back of his neck. She swayed to the music, but he was kind of just standing there at first. She unhooked her hands, grabbed his, and put them on her hips. Then she replaced her arms around his shoulders. His hands were large enough to practically circle her whole midsection, and they felt hot against her. Just the feeling of their firm grip just above the thin fabric of her dress was getting her wet. She wanted him bad.

He seemed to get more comfortable as the song went on, and actually met her moves. They played another ballad after that, and they danced through that song too. Kate was really enjoying his closeness, and the feel of his hands around her waist.

“We got one more for you couples,” said the singer as they played the last beats. The first notes of Motley Crue’s Without You rang out.

Alessandra grabbed Seth by the hand and pulled him to the dance floor. “Come on,” she said as he fought. “This is a good one. Plus don’t you want to see how Kate’s doing?”

He rolled his eyes, but actually didn’t mind. And Al did have a point, he wanted to check up on Kate and Richie. Wanted to make sure Richie wasn’t fucking it up, that is.

They got a few feet from them, but it didn’t seem like either Kate or Richie noticed them. Which was a good sign, each one was totally into their dance partner.

Al wrapped her arms around Seth’s neck. “Guess they’re doin’ okay, huh?”

“So far,” he replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her tight against him.

“Wait til we get to those dirty classics. There’s no way they won’t play at least a few. Then we’ll really see want she learned.”

“Why are you so excited about this?” He asked with a quizzical brow.

“I don’t actually know. Young love? Maybe? It gets me every time.”

They finished the song then made their way back to their table. Kisa and Marisol were still on the dance floor, having a blast dancing all over each other. Kate pulled Richie back over to catch her breath. Seth suggested that they get the girls new drinks, and pulled Richie to the bar with him.

“So, Richie,” said Seth with a grin as they made it to the bar. “What was that all about? You better be making a move, baby bro.”

“Shut up, Seth,” he said rolling his eyes.

“Just saying, she looks ready tonight. My advice is don’t be a pussy, and fuck this up. Get your girl, Richard.”

“I was planning on it.”

“Atta boy.”

“Good start, Kate,” said Al with a stupid smile on her face. “It looks like he couldn’t take his eyes off you. Or you him,” she added with a wink.

Kate blushed. Why does she have to say things like that? But she was right, it seemed to be going good so far. She still couldn’t wait to show him all her new moves though.

The boys arrived back with new drinks. Seth and Richie both had fresh beers. Seth brought Al a new gin and juice, and Richie got Kate another rum and coke. 

Good, thought Kate. She was still needing a little liquid encouragement. Step two was a kicker, grinding on him to a “sexy” song, as Al would put it. Oh boy.

A few songs went by, and the group chatted away at the table. Kate was talking to Al, Kisa, and Marisol, while Richie and Seth were bickering about something stupid on the other side of the table. Typical.

A new song came on, and Alessandra swung around to face Kate.

“Katie!” She yelled, gripping her shoulders. “This is it!” She full out pushed her towards Richie as the band played the first few riffs of Cherry Pie by Warrant.

Kate grabbed Richie mid argument, and pulled him to the dance floor. He had no idea what was happening, then he heard what song was playing. A small smile crept across his face as he placed his hands on her hips. He didn’t feel like he needed permission this time.

First she slid her hands down his chest, looked him dead in the eye, and gave her sexiest smile. Then she turned around in his arms, wrapping an arm around his neck and pulling his head closer to her. She pushed up against him, rubbing her backside along his front in slow circles. She used her free hand to guide one of his up her side.

By the end of the song, she could feel his enjoyment, solid on her lower back. It made her bite her lip. She continued this motion through the next song, which happened to be Def Leppard’s Pour Some Sugar on Me. It’s almost as if the band was on her side, she thought.

Richie was really liking this. She looked amazing tonight, and then this. The way she was grinding on him was testing is resolution. His plan was to play it cool tonight, get in a few dances, flirt a bit, and maybe sneak a kiss later on, but again his dick had a different agenda. Traitor, he thought.

Kate continued to grind on Richie through Poison’s Talk Dirty to Me. Three in a row she thought. Al couldn’t have put a better line up together if she tried. By this time, he was comfortable enough to let both hands roam up her body, and God, did she like it. She rolled her head back onto his shoulder, overwhelmed by the feeling of his solid body and groping hands. She never wanted anyone so badly. 

As he slid his hands up her body, his thumb grazed the bottom of her left breast. She gave a slight moan at the sensation, and she pushed further back into him, grinding against his noticeable hard on. She could feel his breath on her neck, as his lips lingered just out of reach. The hands she had around his neck were now running through his hair, lightly tugging. She was aching for more.

The next song was another ballad, and he turned her around to face him. They danced close, still not wanting to leave the solidness of each other’s bodies. Her hands were still wrapped in his hair.

“You look fucking gorgeous tonight, Kate,” he said out of the blue.

“Thanks,” she said, blushing. “You don’t look too bad yourself. I like this no tie, open shirt Richie.”

“Maybe I’ll do it more often,” he said with a smirk.

“Maybe you should,” she said giving him a sly grin back, then pressing herself against him.

The band finished with Living on a Prayer a few songs after that. Kate and Richie were still going strong. Something both Seth and Alessandra noticed. They even made their way back out to the dance floor at one point, just to see how they were doing. Then stayed and danced themselves. They danced close, and dirty, but nothing like Kate and Richie. There was definitely less groping with them. 

There was a thirty minute break before Fanglorious came on. They headed back to the table, and got new drinks, waiting for them to start.

The lights dimmed, and shadow people could be seen walking across the stage.

“Ladies and Gentleman,” rang out a voice in the dark. It was Scott’s voice. “Sinners and Saints. Are you ready?!”

The lights shot on and the music started. This time Richie took Kate by the hand. He made his way through the crowd with ease, bringing her to the front. He pulled her in front of him, so she would have a full view of her brother’s band. Also, he liked the way she felt pressed up against him, so it really had dual purpose.

Scott saw her and smiled. She smiled back. He always looked so at home on stage. It didn’t matter that this was definitely not her taste in music. It made him happy, and it made her happy to see him happy.

Richie stayed behind her the entire show, keeping his hands on her hips. There was no more grinding, as this was not the right type of music. But it didn’t mean that she didn’t want to feel him behind her. She stayed close, occasionally rubbing her ass against him, just to let him know that she liked him where he was. He obliged by squeezing her hips and pulling her closer. He even let his hands roam her body from time to time, making her shutter with desire. 

Tonight worked out pretty much like she planned, but the night was far from over.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A man in a trench coat steps from the alley and lights a cigarette. After placing the lighter back in his coat pocket, he briskly walks down the city street in the dim light. He walks for a bit before throwing his arm out to hail an oncoming cab. 

The cab slides over to the curb. The man takes the last drag of his cigarette before throwing it to the ground and stomping it out. He opens the door and slides in. 

“Bleecker and Thompson, please,” he says.

The driver nods and heads off. A few blocks later the man looks up from his phone and notices that they are not going the right way.

“Hey, you missed your turn.”

The driver ignores him and keeps going.

“I said,” says the man more loudly, “You missed your turn, man.”

The driver chuckles. “No sir. I’m going right where I need to.”

Then he speeds up, runs a red light and turns down a dark alley. He pulls the taxi far into the alley.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Asks the man, angrily.

“Last stop, Hell,” says the driver with a smirk as his eyes change to a snake-like yellow.

The man snarls in the backseat revealing the sharp, bat-like fangs of a Vespertilio, his eyes completely black.

Glowing eyes of all colors descend down the alley from all directions. A loud thud to the front brings the man’s attention to a black wolf on the hood of the taxi. The back door is ripped from its hinges and the Vespertilio prepares to fight for his life.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They arrived back at the Jacknife after it was closed for the evening. All the staff was gone, and the bar was dark. Kate was exhausted and was ready to head to bed. All that dancing had really worn her out. Although she wasn’t sure she wanted to be done with Richie for the night. After the initial disgust he showed at the thought of dancing, he seemed to end up enjoying himself. After all, he stayed on the dance floor with her the whole night. She knew she did most of the actual dancing, but he at least stayed there and let her dance around him, or on him if she was going to be more specific. The feel of his body, solid and strong against hers, and his hands sliding over her all night still had her all riled up. Not to mention the other solid and firm thing she felt on her tonight.

“Anyone up for a nightcap?” Asked Seth as he walked around the back of the bar.

“I’d be down,” said Alessandra with a shrug and a smile. “One more couldn’t hurt.”

She, Kisa, and Marisol joined him at the bar as he pulled out a bottle of top shelf whiskey. Kate and Richie both passed and decided to head down. Whether it be a common interest in being alone with each other, or coincidence, neither knew, but both wanted to take that chance. They headed to their rooms while making small talk. 

“I know Scott’s band isn’t your thing,” Kate stated, “But you have to admit they put on a good show.”

“I’ll give him that,” he said with a sideways smile. “The opener wasn’t bad either. I actually like 80’s hair metal. They did a pretty good job covering a lot of those bands.”

“Oh yeah? I didn’t know you were into 80’s. Most of what I hear you listen to is like Zeppelin, and Deep Purple. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you play anything 80’s.”

“That’s because most of the time Seth chooses the music in the car. Don’t get me wrong, those guys are classic, and I like them too, but I dabble in 80’s as well.”

“Who is your favorite?” She asked.

“Well that’s not an easy question. There were a lot of good bands in the 80’s,” he smiled at her. “I guess Motley Crue would be one of them. Maybe Def Leppard, Skid Row, AC/DC, and Van Halen would round up the top five.”

“Do you have a favorite song?”

“Too many to count,” he laughed. He could think of a few that might become favorites after tonight though. The way Kate was dancing, the way she was touching him, he wouldn’t forget that anytime soon. Just thinking of it now was making his pants tight. He hoped she hadn’t notice her effect on him earlier. Not that he was truly embarrassed, just wished he showed the same control he normally had. She was really giving his self-control a run for the money lately. 

Still, he wasn’t sure how comfortable she would be with the topic of his hard on. She always blushed when Seth brought up something sexual, which was often. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, but decided to bring up a little song from earlier to see how she would react. “But I think Warrant’s “Cherry Pie”, is becoming a new favorite,” he finished with a smirk.

She blushed and bit her lower lip. She shyly turned away from him briefly before looking him full in the eyes. Oh yeah, he thought, she remembered that one. Oh God, the look she was giving him. It was making his dick twitch. Now he was sure she not only knew what she was doing to him earlier, but enjoyed it. That made him even more excited. If he wanted her before, it was nothing compared to what he was feeling now. 

By now they were talking outside of his bedroom door. He was planning on walking her to her room tonight even though it was just next door. But for some reason, they stopped here instead. He wasn’t sure what the proper protocol was. She spent a good deal of the night dancing all over him, rubbing herself on him in all the right places, but it wasn’t like they were on a date. She was just having fun, blowing off steam. That didn’t necessarily mean she wanted more tonight, even though he was sure she enjoyed herself. Was he supposed to kiss her goodnight? Give her a goodnight hug? He didn’t want to overstep his bounds, but he wanted so much more. She didn’t actually seem too eager to get to her room either. Could it be she was just as turned on as he was?

“Thanks Richie,” Kate said, interrupting his train of thought. “I had a great time tonight. Thanks for putting up with me and all my dancing. I know how much you hate it.”

“I don’t hate dancing with you, Kate. I like watching you dance.” he said giving her a shy smile. He hadn’t meant to say that last part out loud. 

She flushed. So he was paying attention, she thought. Good, because she was providing him with her best moves. She felt his response to her earlier, and liked it. She wanted him to like it too, wanted to know that he did indeed think about her like that. That was the plan anyway. Hell, that was the whole reason she asked Alessandra for advice in the first place. She wanted to feel sexy, and wanted Richie to know she wanted him. At least now she could be sure it worked.

“Oh, I don’t know. I was kinda making a fool of myself tonight. I still don’t handle my alcohol that well,” she giggled nervously.

“I don’t think so. I enjoyed it.” That sly smile was back from earlier. 

She wanted to kiss him, like really kiss him this time. No holding back. What was she waiting for? Seth and Al were right, if Richie had half as fun as she did tonight, she was in. If the feeling of him hard and pressing on her earlier was any indication, she was definitely in.

She lifted herself up on her tip toes to try to cover the height gap between them. There was a lot of distance to cover, and she knew she couldn’t make up the gap by herself. She put her arms around his neck to pull him to her. He obliged and met her halfway.

This is it, he thought. She was going to kiss him goodnight. Okay, he thought, depending on what she did here he could gauge his next move. He really wanted to kiss her too, and was glad she made the first move this time. He was only fifty-fifty with his previous attempts, and wanted to make sure this is actually what she wanted this time. He leaned down towards her, hands instinctively going to her hips. 

Their lips touched, just a soft touch at first. Neither pulled away, and the kiss grew with intensity. It was somewhat frantic and a little desperate, like she craved the feeling of him. 

He wasn’t expecting this, had no idea she wanted it that bad. Sure with her grinding on him earlier he thought maybe, but tried not to get his hopes up. He wanted more though, and was parting her lips with his before he could help himself.

A spark went off inside Kate as his tongue slithered into her mouth, meeting hers. She had only ever French kissed Kyle before, and it felt nothing like this. The kiss with Kyle was sloppy, wet, and forced. This felt natural and she welcomed him into her mouth, needed him there. Richie’s lips were soft against hers, but there was a force behind them, a hunger she never felt before. The taste of him. The feel of him. She needed more.

She broke the kiss to come up for some air, saw the absolute desire in his eyes, and dove back in. She couldn’t get enough. She had never been kissed like this before, so completely. She moaned her need into his mouth which seemed to wake something up deep inside him. The intensity of his kiss grew, and he growled back in passion. It was hot and it fueled her fire.

The elevator dinged down the hall. Knowing they would soon have visitors, Richie broke the kiss. Kate looked frustrated with his absence, giving him a slight pout. He couldn’t explain how the look she was giving him was making him feel. God he needed her, and she was giving all the signs of needing him just as bad. She grabbed at his hair and forcefully pulled him down to her waiting lips. He blindly fumbled for the door handle behind him to get them out of the eye-shot of their intruders, as she invaded his mouth once again.

He pulled her in behind him and shut the door, not taking his lips from hers. He pinned her to the door with his large, solid frame, as his hands slipped off her hips and grabbed her ass. She moaned again in approval as he gently squeezed. 

His hands felt warm as they caressed her backside. She had never let Kyle touch her like that, never wanted him to. But Richie, she needed him to. He felt so good with his mouth on hers and his strong, groping hands gripping her, it was almost too much. She pushed at his shoulders and he begrudgingly stepped back. She pushed him back until his legs hit his bed.

“Sit,” she demanded as she tore her lips from his. He followed suit no questions asked.

She walked to him with more confidence than she ever remembered having before. She straddled his legs and looked down at the lust on his face. She felt him then, just as hard as he was earlier. She pressed herself against him making him groan, as he closed his eyes to the intense sensation.

His hands went back to her hips as he looked up into her face. She never looked this sexy to him before, he liked her looking down at him. Then she pulled his hair again, forcing his head back so she could kiss him again. His hands rode up her back, touching as much of her as he could. Her breasts were practically at eye level with her on his lap. He broke the kiss and started kissing the exposed tops of them, licking and sucking his way across her chest. 

“Richie,” she moaned. The sensation was killing her. 

He stopped, to kiss her again, pushing his tongue back in with a force this time. She couldn’t decide what she liked better, his mouth on hers or on her breasts. 

He kissed his way down her neck as one hand reached up and cupped her left breast, kneading it lightly. She wasn’t sure how to react. She could barely concentrate with all the new sensations he was giving her, before his mouth went back to find her other breast. 

What finally brought her back to herself was the growing pressure she felt on her inner thigh. It was like his cock was trying to escape the confines of his pants. Knowing she was the cause for sure this time was making her extremely wet. Before she could even think the thought, her hand went down between her legs, rubbing the length of him.

A moan escaped from deep in his throat, sending vibrations across her chest and chills down her spine. He pulled away, looked her deep in the eyes, and rolled over, pinning her to the bed with him between her legs. He frantically kissed her as she continued to stroke him through his pants. His hips bucked in response.

The room was getting hot as Kate panted for air. She struggled to catch her breath as he repeatedly went back and forth between kissing her mouth, and kissing up her neck. His hand was back to caressing her breast, but it wasn’t enough.

“Mmmm, Richie,” she cried. “Stop.”

He backed off immediately, unsure if he had somehow crossed a line. She was giving all the signals that she liked what he was doing. Had he somehow misread them? Panic surged through him. What if she thought he was forcing himself on her? What if this isn’t what she wanted?

“Kate, I. . . I. . .I’m sorry,” he stuttered, backing away.

“No Riche,” she whined, grabbing his arm. “I don’t want you to go. It’s just,” she blushed and looked away. “It’s just, I was thinking we have too many clothes on.”

“Oh,” he said, eyes going big. Relief spread through his body, followed by pure excitement. “Oh,” he said again as what she was saying finally registered. He was having a difficult time processing as the blood was now flowing away from his brain.

She bit her lip nervously then reached for his shirt. She started to slowly unbutton it one by one. He just stood there patiently, watching her little fingers work the buttons. The sight of her undressing him was sending shock waves straight to his cock.

After she got all of them, he shrugged out of the shirt. She went and untucked his undershirt, pulling it over his head. He looked marvelous. She ran her hands down his smooth, thick chest. She watched as his eyes rolled back as she touched him, she liked that she had that effect on him. She undid his belt, threw it aside, then hesitated and decided to leave his pants on. As much as she liked the thought of what was underneath, she wasn’t quite ready for that yet.

He urged her onto her knees so he could undo her dress. With nibble fingers he pulled the zipper all the way down. He slipped it down her shoulders with ease. Then he laid her back down and slipped it down her body, kissing her newly exposed skin as he went. He quickly threw it to the side when he was done. 

There she was, displayed for him in nothing but cute, little, black panties and a matching bra. He had waited for this moment for years, and it was finally happening. She was beautiful, perfect. He fought inwardly with his need to stare at her, and his need to touch her. When he finally made it back to her eyes, he saw that she seemed a little embarrassed with all his staring.

“Sorry,” he breathed. “Your just so beautiful, Katie.”

She blushed for what seemed like the thousandth time today. “I could say the same about you.”

He chuckled at that. “I’ve never been called beautiful before.”

“Would you prefer gorgeous? Cause you’re hot as Hell right now, Richard. Get over here.”

An evil grin spread across his face as he rushed forwards. Mouth slamming into hers as he crawled on top of her, body staying firmly between her legs. He was always so gentle with her, but she liked this more aggressive side. It was like he couldn’t control himself when he was touching her, and she wiggled in pleasure against him.

All her wiggling, grinding, and moaning was making his cock ache. He needed this, more than he knew. This was amazing. Never had he wanted anyone this bad. No woman ever elicited this kind of response from him, and he loved every second of it.

His hands were busy working her tits, as his tongue slid up her neck, licking across her lips before entering her waiting mouth. She bit his lower lip as he pulled back, enticing a pleased grunt from him.

“Mmmmm Richie,” she moaned. “Hold on.”

He let up ever so slightly giving her a questioning look. She giggled at his quizzical brow as she unhooked her bra, flinging it to the ground. His eyes glazed over as he intensely gazed at her now fully exposed tits. Clearly enjoying the view.

“You like what you see?” She giggled again, throwing her arms around his neck. He nodded unblinkingly as she pulled him back down to her. 

He kissed her passionately, smashing her tits to his chest. The sensation of her firm nipples against his flesh was intoxicating. She was running her fingers through his hair, slightly tugging at the hairs at the base of his neck, as she feverishly kissed him back. 

He kissed a trail down her neck all the way to her right breast. He took her nipple in his mouth, gently sucking as his other hand groped her other breast, gently massaging it between firm fingers. She moaned his name at the sensation. Then he switched, so neither breast was without the feel of his hot mouth. God he felt so good.

She felt his free hand slide down her stomach, tickling as he lightly ran his fingers over her burning skin. He did it over and over, caressing her, getting lower each time. Before she knew it his fingers were running across the smooth fabric of her panties, traveling to the warm space between her thighs.

He let her breast slip from his mouth as he went up to nip at her lower lip. “God, Katie,” he panted. “You’re so wet. You really want me?”

All she could do was nod, she couldn’t find her voice. It was lost as his fingers slipped inside the fabric, running up the length of her. She shivered at the feeling, and he smirked down at her in response. He slowly removed his fingers from her and brought them to his mouth, sucking her off of them. 

He kissed her again and his hands slid down her sides. Hooking her panties with his thumbs, he slowly pulled them down. He only got them down a few inches before she grabbed his wrists.

“Wait, Richie,” she panted.

He looked up at her then, saw the worry in her eyes.

“Can we. . .” she started. “Do you mind if we. . .”

“Wait?” He asked. He knew what she meant. She wasn’t quite ready yet. 

She bit her lip nervously and nodded.

“As long as you want, Kate.”

A weight was lifted from her shoulders. He didn’t look upset. His words were so sincere, she knew he meant it. He would wait for her, and she loved him for that. She wasn’t ready for it yet, but she didn’t want the night to end here. She still wanted him, wanted him to touch her, to kiss her. She needed it. So, to let him know, she brought her hands back to his hair and played with the short ones at the base of his neck. She smiled at him, and he smiled back before moving in for a soft kiss.

She parted his lips with hers, and went in for a deep and sensual kiss. She could feel him smiling as she made her move, rolling her tongue along his. He was still very firm against her. He didn’t seem to be that thrown off of his game even though now he knew for sure he wasn’t getting all the way tonight. She moaned as his hands were back at her hips, playing with the fabric of panties. 

He pulled away slowly, standing up completely between her legs. She frowned as he stared down at her, not liking his absence. 

“Do you trust me?” He asked, managing to sound both super serious and playful at the same time.

“Yes,” she breathed.

“You trust that I would never hurt you, or do anything you didn’t want?”

“Yes,” she repeated.

“Then will you let me do something for you?”

She just nodded. She was pretty sure she knew what he was getting at, and God, did she want it.

He leaned down to kiss her softly, then knelt between her legs. He pulled her further over the edge of his bed, then kissed his way from her knee up her thigh with sloppy, wet, little kisses. Then repeated on the other leg, all the while looking her in the eyes. She couldn’t help biting her bottom lip at the feeling.

“You can stop me at any time, Kate,” he breathed against the now thoroughly soaked fabric that separated his mouth from her.

He slid his hands back up her thighs, lacing his fingers in that fabric. He pulled at it, pulling it down over her thighs, her knees, and finally over her curled toes. She was completely bare to him, and he looked hungrily at her soft flesh. 

He made eye contact with her one more time, flashing her a smile unlike any she had ever seen on his face. Then he kissed each of her thighs, and licked his way up to that oh so special place between her legs.

She threw her head back in ecstasy as he licked her from bottom to top. She moaned his name as he circled her clit with the tip of his tongue. Then he slid his tongue back down and dove it into her, tongue fucking her with a passion before sliding it back to her clit. She gripped his hair tightly as he sucked gently on her clit this time. It felt so fucking good. 

He repeated this whole thing again, driving her wild as she panted for him. When he made it back to her clit this time, she felt one of his long fingers slip inside, and she gasped. He moved it out slowly, then pushed it all the way back in, all the while lapping hungrily at her clit.

He slid his finger in and out of her with earnest as she moaned, and writhed against him. When he was sure she was ready, he added a second finger, and she bucked at the feeling. Her pleasure was building, and she knew she was close. She had never felt anything so good in her whole life, it didn’t even come close when she played with herself. 

“Oh God, Richie,” she moaned loudly. “Richie don’t stop. Yes. Just like that. Mmmmm.”

He practically purred when she she started mumbling incoherently in between repeating his name. The vibration of that noise against her sent her over the edge, and she came hard all over his face. He lapped her up, not stopping until she stopped trembling and he got every drop on his tongue. He pulled his fingers from her and licked those clean too, making an audible sucking noise as he pulled them from his mouth one after the other.

He wiped what remained from his face with the back of his hand, then flopped down next to her on the bed as she started to come down. She looked over and saw the most self-satisfied look on his face. It was a look she thought was more fitting to his brother than him, but she liked it. 

He gave her a moment to collect herself then kissed her again, slow and passionate. The thought of tasting herself was never really appealing to her, but right now she liked it. The taste of herself on his lips was intoxicating.

He moved up the bed and rested his back on the headboard, urging Kate to join him. She did, and wrapped her arms around him as she cuddled close, holding him tight. He put his arm around her, and kissed her forehead, chuckling as he did.

“What?” She asked.

“Nothing really. Just thinking how “Cherry Pie” was possibly the most accurate song you could have chosen to dance to.”

“Oh my God,” she blushed, slapping him across the chest playfully.

“You are sweeter than any cherry pie I ever ate, Katie-Cakes,” he chuckled again. “Tastes so good makes a grown man cry.” 

“Richie, stop it,” she said burying her face in his chest.

“Put a smile on my face ten miles wide,” he said still chuckling.

“Richie, please,” she whined.

“Okay,” he said with only a hint of laughter in his voice. “Just saying, it was such a sweet surprise.” 

“Richard Gecko,” she croaked.

“Okay,” he laughed. “Alright, I’m done.”

They laid there quietly for a few minutes. He softly caressed her arm, and lightly kissed her forehead. She ran her fingers up and down the solid plain of his stomach. It was then that she noticed he was still hard. What was she thinking? She totally forgot about his needs. He gave her the most amazing, mind-blowing orgasm of her life a few minutes ago, and now he was just sitting there comforting her as he strained against his pants. She felt she needed to return the favor, only she had never given a blowjob before, and wasn’t sure if she wanted to just yet. There were still other things she could do for him though, she wasn’t gonna leave him hanging.

She trailed her hand back down his stomach, but didn’t stop at the top of his pants this time. She continued until she was now rubbing him through his pants again.

He groaned as her hand slid down his fabric laced length. “Kate, you know you don’t have to.”

“I know. I want to,” she smiled up at him.

She rubbed him like that a few times before tugging at his zipper. She reached in and pulled him out, really feeling him for the first time. He was warm and solid beneath her fingers. 

When she finally saw him outside of his pants, she was shocked. He was bigger than she thought, bigger than he felt while still hidden by the thin fabric. Not freakishly big, but big enough to be thoroughly impressive. Damn, she thought. She bit the inside of her cheek then turned to give him a sexy smile. He gave a cocky smirk back at her, clearly enjoying the fact that she seemed to like what she was seeing.

She rubbed him again, sliding her hand from base to tip. She noticed the glistening of a drop of pre-cum dripping from the tip, and smoothed it across the top. He closed his eyes and let out a loud, panting breath as she did. 

She continued to stroke him up and down, when suddenly he placed his hand over hers, showing her she didn’t need to be that gentle. He guided her hand back up his length with a firmness she wasn’t sure he would like until then. Again and again they stroked him together, her hand under his. He let out little moans and short puffs of breath as they did. 

His breathing became more shallow and he started pumping his hips to their rhythm. “That’s it, Katie,” he panted. “Just like that.”

She liked the encouragement. She enjoyed his thrusting into her hand even more. Made her think about what he would feel like when he finally thrust into her. Between that motion, that thought, and the little noises and grunts he was making, she was sopping wet again. 

He came with a grunt, shooting hot spurts of cum all over his stomach and their hands. It dripped down her knuckles in the most satisfying way. When she finally released him, she licked at one of her knuckles tentatively, then sucked the other completely into her mouth, cleaning him from her.

His eyes shot open as he watched her lick his seed from her fingers. It was possibly the hottest thing he had ever seen.

“What?” she asked, shooting him a sultry grin. “How else was I gonna clean you up?”

He visibly shuttered with lust. “Those are words I never thought I would hear leave your mouth.”

“Oh yeah? Maybe, if you’re a good boy, you’ll get to see something in my mouth you never thought of too.”

The look on his face was priceless. “Fuck, Kate. You keep that up and it’s gonna be a long night.”

“Sounds like a threat. I think I’d be willing to risk it,” she said as she made her way up to his mouth, giving him a fierce kiss. He kissed her back with equal intensity. 

“I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Kate. But I like it,” he snarled out as he broke the kiss.

“Oh I think you do,” she said, taking the two fingers he fucked her with earlier into her mouth, gently sucking them. 

He raised his eyebrows so high they were practically part of his hairline now. “Jesus Christ, Kate.”

She removed his fingers from her mouth with an audible plop. Then kissed him one last time. This time was more gentle and passionate, than lustful. “Maybe you’re right, Richie. We should slow down. Save some for next time.”

He nodded his agreement then gave her a quick peck on the lips. He reached over to the nightstand to grab a tissue to clean himself off. 

“So that’s why you keep those there,” she said, grinning up at him. 

He shrugged and let out a short laugh, discarding the tissue into the conveniently placed trash can. 

“Do you at least think about me while you’re doing it?” She mused.

He chuckled and placed a kiss on the top of her head. “Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you things would heat up soon. Hope you enjoyed it!


	7. The Chalice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after comes to a halt when someone breaks into the Jacknife. The crew then heads off to find the lost goods.
> 
> Tidbit:  
> The fire alarm blared as smoke billowed from the small office. The hidden wall safe was blown open. . . again. They needed to get better security, Seth thought.

A man in an all black suit walks through the hanging rubber curtains that separate the kitchen from the walk-in freezer. There is a naked man on his knees chained by the neck in the middle of the cold room. His wrists are cuffed together in the front, attached around his waist then down to shackles around his ankles. He is bruised and bloodied, and has clear burn marks.

“So what’s it gonna be, Jonas?” Asks the man in the black suit. “You gonna tell me where it is?”

“Fuck you!” Says the chained man in heavily accented English.

“Look. I’m not gonna say we have all the time in the world, because we don’t,” says the man in the suit. “But I can do this all night. And I will definitely outlast you. So why don’t you make this easy on yourself. Just tell me where it is and all this can end.”

“I said, fuck you!”

The man in the suit sighs. “I didn’t want to have to do this, Jonas, but you leave me no choice.” 

He walks back to the curtain, pulls one of the strips back and talks to someone behind it. Then he turns around and smiles back at Jonas.

Two large men walk in with a hooded and chained person in between them. The man in the black suit rips the hood off to reveal a gagged, young woman, and Jonas is visibly distraught.

“Was für ein schӧnes Mädchen,” he says to Jonas. “She is your granddaughter, no? Did you think we didn’t know about her?” He chuckled, then continued. “Oh you stupid dog. We know all about you, and I will have no problem killing all of your family members one by one if I need to. Starting with die junge Amelia. So I’ll ask again. What’s it gonna be, Jonas?”

The resolution in Jonas’s eyes fades. He had his granddaughter to think of now, and the rest of his family as well. 

“Tick tock, Jonas,” he says, pulling a gun from under his jacket and placing it to Amelia’s head.

“My desk!” Yells Jonas. “The stone is in my desk. In a safe hidden on the left side.”

“Is there a key?”

“There is a button under under the top, in the top left drawer. It will open the panel with a keypad.”

“The code?”

“Let her go first, and I will give you the code.”

“Fine,” he says, putting the gun back. “Take her to the truck. Tranq her and leave her somewhere. I don’t care where.”

The two men leave the freezer, pulling a screaming Amelia with them.

“Now what’s the code, Jonas?”

“1407, but you will need me. It also has a retinal scanner.”

“Doesn’t sound like I need you,” he says walking closer. “Just one of these.” 

He starts muttering something under his breath, something that sounds like Latin.

“Wha. . what are you doing?” Screamed Jonas. “I gave you what you want.”

The man continues to chant, and when he looks back at Jonas, his eyes are blood red. He raises his hand up to Jonas’s face, about three inches from touching it.

Jonas starts to scream, a blood curdling scream. His right eye shoots out of his face and into the man’s waiting hand. Jonas continues screaming as the man walks out of the freezer with his eye in his hand.

He walks to the desk in the adjoining office. He follows the instructions and opens the safe, scanning the plucked eye. There was the stone, set in a beautiful silver setting. 

The man laughs as he picks it up. He walks back to the freezer holding his price in his hand. 

“Danke schon, Jonas,” he says to the chained man. “It is beautiful. Isn’t it? Now I’m going to let my associates show you just how thankful I really am.”

He turns around and nods to the guards. They move in as the man in the suit exits the freezer for the last time. Jonas screams in the background as he walks further down the hall.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate woke up to soft, little kisses along her ear and neck. She stirred a bit before turning her head to see Richie smiling behind her.

“Morning,” he cooed.

“Morning,” she smiled back.

He moved in for a soft kiss, merely planting his lips to hers, and smiling all the while. When he pulled back, she snuggled deeper into his arms, glad he yet again stayed the whole night. Although, she thought, she was in his bed this time, so maybe this time she was the one who stayed the whole night. 

She could get used to waking up in his arms. They were solid, and inviting. They felt safe, and like home. She snuggled even deeper against his body, there she was greeted by a very awake part of him.

“Oh,” she squealed in surprise as she felt him hard against her ass.

“Hmm, sorry,” he chuckled. “Can’t help that.”

“Was last night not enough?” She questioned shyly.

“Of course it was, Kate. It’s just morning wood. It happens almost every day, well at least for me.”

“Really? Every day?”

“Pretty much since I was thirteen. It doesn’t mean anything, Kate. Last night was great. It’ll go away on its own.”

“So you’re not upset?” She practically whispered.

“About what?” He questioned, completely confused. 

“That we didn’t. . . you know.”

“Fuck?”

“Richie! Do you have to call it that?”

“Why? What else would I call it?”

“I don't know. Make love.”

“I’m not calling it that, Kate. I'll pretty much do anything for you, but that makes my short list of things I just will not do,” he chuckled at the last part.

“And why is that?”

“Because Kate. When you’re good and ready, that’s not what I’m gonna do to you,” he smirked.

“Richard Gecko!”

He laughed behind her, the vibrations made her shiver from head to toe. She was learning he was actually kind of playful after sex. Which was unexpected, but thoroughly enjoyable. 

“And you’re okay with that? Waiting?” She asked.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Isn’t that what most guys want?”

“I’m not most guys,” he said, kissing her neck again. 

“Is that something you want?”

“Yeah, I want it,” he said, then added a little more softly, “But I want you more. And if that means waiting until you’re ready, then I’ll wait for you as long as you need. I. . . I love you, Kate. I’d never rush you.”

She paused. Then turned completely in his arms. “Did you just say you love me?”

“Yeah,” he shrugged.

“You love me?”

“Yeah, Kate. I love you,” he said with more confidence.

She smiled so big, it practically jumped off her face. “I love you too.”

“Yeah? You love me?” He questioned, giving her a shy smile and raising his eyebrows practically to his hairline.

“Yes,” she squealed. “Do think I would do what we did last night with just anyone? I love you, Richard Gecko.”

He gave her a smile of pure elation, like he wasn’t sure until now it was true. He pulled her into a passionate kiss, murmuring ‘I love you’ along her lips in between kisses.

She broke the kiss abruptly. “You know how you were telling me that this would go away on its own?” She looked down and lightly brushed him with her finger.

“Yeah?”

“Well,” she smiled seductively. “What if I don’t want it to?”

“Then it doesn’t have to,” he replied with a sideways grin.

“Would this changes its mind?” She asked, circling her fingers around him.

He grunted and his eyes rolled back. “Yes.”

She squeezed him tighter, and continued to run her hand the length of him, up and down. Quiet little breaths escaped his now parted lips. 

“You like that?” She asked.

He nodded with his eyes closed. Then looked her straight in the eyes. She could see them starting to glaze over with desire.

“Tell you what.” she said. “I’ll do this for you, but only if you do what you did for me last night, first.”

He gave a throaty laugh, a sultry smile, and rolled her on her back, settling himself between her legs. He kissed his way down her body, starting at her plump lips. He was kissing across her chest as he moved his hand between her thighs. 

“Jeez, Katie,” he whispered. “You’re already ready for me.”

“I was dreaming of you all night,” she panted.

That oh so satisfied grin from last night was back, as he looked down at her. He slid his finger inside her while staring her in the eyes. She bit her lip and moaned. He briefly went back to sucking, licking, and nibbling her breasts before he kissed and licked his way down her stomach, all the while pumping his finger in and out of her.

“Oh, God, Richie,” she panted as he slid another long finger inside. He felt so good inside her. And this was just his fingers.

He grinned from between her legs, then kissed the corners of both her thighs. Her head flew back as he sucked her clit between his lips, licking and sucking until she cried his name.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth was behind the bar getting things ready for the day when Kate and Richie came in. They came waltzin’ in, holding hands, and swinging them back and forth as they did. They were smiling at each other, big ear to ear grins on both of them. Good, he thought, looks like they finally fucked. As far as he was concerned, his plan finally worked.

Richie walked Kate to the hostess podium for the start of her shift. There were almost no customers in the dining area because it was only 11:30, and they just opened. They had a few minutes practically to themselves before people would really start coming in, and Kate would be busy.

Seth continued to watch them from behind the bar. He saw Richie whisper something in Kate’s ear. She blushed and lightly slapped his arm at the comment. He wondered what dirty, little thing Richie could have said to her to make act like that. Was it about something they did last night? Or something he was telling her he was going to do? He was going to have to get details at some point.

“Creeper,” said Alessandra, sneaking up on him.

“Fuck, Al,” he shot back. “Way to make me almost piss my pants. Who's the real creeper here?”

“No, no, no. I’m sneaky. You’re the one creepin’ on his brother and his girl.”

“Shhhh,” he said. “I’m trying to figure out what they did last night.”

“You think they did it?” She asked.

“All signs point to yes.”

They both went back to watching as Richie pulled away to leave Kate at the podium. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back to kiss him. Just a quick peck on the lips, but a kiss nonetheless. He smiled then gave her one more little peck before he actually left. 

“Oh yeah,” said Al. “They definitely did something.”

“Mission accomplished, partner,” said Seth, holding his hand out the Al.

She took his hand and they both were giggling like little school girls when Richie walked past. He shot them a look as he walked towards his office. He didn’t even want to know what they were up to.

An hour later Seth joined Richie in their office to go over books. Seth hated going over the books, it was more a Richie thing, but as part owner he was expected to put in his fair share. He sat at his desk opposite of Richie’s, and the gigantic fish tank behind it. Richie was already going over some paperwork, when he stopped to look up at Seth, who he noticed was staring at him.

“Yes?” He asked, raising his brows at his older brother.

“You wanna explain that?”

“Explain what?”

“That little scene you put on with Kate this morning.”

“God,” said Richie. “Do you ever mind your own business?”

“Sometimes,” replied Seth. “But not when the dirt is this juicy. Spill it, brother.”

“Kate and I spent the night together,” said Richie, rolling his eyes.

“Care to elaborate?”

“No, not really.”

“Oh come on, brother.”

“Seth,” said Richie in annoyance. “I’m not gonna tell you what Kate and I did or did not do.”

“From the looks of it,” said Seth with a grin. “You and little miss Kate must have finally gotten it on. I mean you guys were holdin’ hands and gettin’ all kissy. Are you trying to tell me that didn’t happen?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“So you did?”

“I didn’t say that either.”

“Oh come on Richie. Just tell me. I’d tell you. I always tell you.”

“Yeah,” he said. “And I don’t usually ask for that either, by the way.”

“Please. Don’t act like you don’t like it. How else would you learn anything? Certainly not by doing it.”

“Fuck you, Seth.”

“Relax, Richard. I don’t need explicit details or anything, just the basic facts. Did you, or did you not, have sex with Kate?”

Richie sighed. “No. We didn’t have sex. Okay?”

“What?! Why not?”

“She said she wasn’t ready, and I respect that.”

“Not ready? She looked plenty ready at the bar last night.”

Richie gave him an angry shrug. “So what?”

“Whatever. Then what’s got her all blushy this afternoon, if you didn’t give it to her?”

“We did. . . other things,” said Richie with a shrug.

“Like?”

Richie sighed again then snapped, “I ate her out. Is that okay with you, Seth?”

“That’s very much okay with me, brother,” said Seth, kind of proudly. “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t fuck it up this time.”

“How kind of you,” he smirked.

“So, did she do anything for you?”

“Seth!” Cried Richie.

“Alright,” said Seth, chuckling. “So are you guys like a couple now?”

“I don’t know,” said Richie. “We didn’t really discuss details.”

Meanwhile, in the dining area, Al leaned against the hostess podium waiting for Kate to finish with her customers. She was giving Kate a look that made her nervous.

“Yes?” Asked Kate.

“Just wondering how your night was,” said Al, playing all innocent.

“It was great,” said Kate. “Thanks for asking.”

“Got anything you’d like to tell me about? You know like something important that maybe happened?” She said, shrugging her shoulders.

“Nope. Can’t think of anything.”

“Really?” Questioned Al. “Not anything about a certain guy you were practically having sex with on the dance floor last night? I mean you guys did go downstairs last night together. And came up together this morning. Perhaps you could elaborate on what happened in between?”

“Oh my God,” said Kate. “You’re worse that Seth.”

“Why would you say that?”

“You’re not gonna leave me alone until I tell you. Am I right?”

“You know me so well,” she smirked.

“We didn’t have sex, so there,” said Kate, crossing her arms.

“Really?” Asked Al, giving a quizzical brow.

“Really,” said Kate.

“But you did do something, right?”

Kate turned bright red, looked away, then said, “Yes. We did.”

“Did he eat you up? Like I said he would?” Asked Al with a smirk.

Al didn’t think it was possible for Kate to get any redder, but she somehow managed to. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Alright, Kate,” said Alessandra putting her arm around her shoulder. “I’m glad for you. So you got eaten out for the first time, huh? How was it?”

“It was twice actually,” said Kate with a grin, gaining her confidence back. “Once last night, once this morning.”

“Ohhhh! Damn, Kate. That good, huh?”

“You better believe it.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The fire alarm blared as smoke billowed from the small office. The hidden wall safe was blown open. . . again. They needed to get better security, Seth thought.

“Anything missing?” Asked Kate.

“I don’t know,” said Richie. “It’s been awhile since I’ve been in here, but normally people don’t blow a safe unless they want something.”

“Do you have any idea what was in there?” Asked Alessandra.

“A bunch of stupid junk we were given when we were the collectors,” said Seth.

“Well some of that junk in there had to be important,” she scoffed. 

“I figured as much,” he threw back.

“You think it was them?” Asked Richie.

“Most likely,” she replied. “The timing’s right. We need to figure out what they took. Do you think you could remember if you really thought about it?”

He shrugged, “Maybe. Why?”

Her eyes were back to that rich amber. “I know a way to see what was in there,” said Alessandra, licking her now sharp teeth.

Richie huffed and held his wrist out to her, “Just get it over with.”

She smiled, took his wrist, and gently bit down. A vision passed through her mind of a conversation the brothers had in front of the safe several years ago. Next she saw the last time it was blown open, then she saw them seeing the amulet being handed to the skull keeper. Last she saw them putting something in the safe, Seth picking up a red chalice and saying it was becoming a junk drawer.

She pulled away quickly. “I know what they grabbed. A chalice.”

“A chalice?” Asked Seth. “You mean that red piece of shit that was in there?”

“Yeah,” she said sardonically. “That red piece of shit, is made from clay created from Xibalban soil, and virgin blood. It’s the one they need for the resurrection.” 

“Well fuck me,” spat Seth.

“You had that here this entire time?” She questioned.

“How the fuck were we supposed to know it was that chalice?” Yelled Seth. “It’s not like you gave us a brochure on what to be looking for.”

“We can track it,” said Richie, out of the blue.

“I’m sorry, what?” Asked Alessandra, turning to him, eyebrows raised in question.

“We embedded small tracking devices in most of the weird artifacts around here after Brasa had the amulet stolen. Couldn’t really be sure what might be valuable.”

“Good thinkin’,” she said. “Let’s hop to it.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time they figured out which tracker was attached to the chalice, it was miles away, and heading wherever, fast. There was no way they were going to let whoever it was get away with this. It was an important part of the resurrection ritual, and they were not taking any chances. 

The tracker headed in the same direction for over an hour before they decided to just get in the car and follow it. At least they knew what direction to travel in.

Kate was getting her travel bag packed as Richie entered her room.

“Kate,” he said.

“You’re not telling me I’m not going, Richie. Don’t even try.”

“But, Kate.”

“No,” she said, giving him a stern look as she turned to face him. “I’m going. That’s final.”

“It’s safer for you here.”

“I don’t care. I’m going. This involves me too, you know. I can take care of myself.”

“I didn’t say you couldn’t, Kate.”

“Then stop acting like I’m helpless.”

Richie sighed. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I won’t,” she said walking to him. She ran her hands up his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m a better fighter than when you first met me. Besides, I’ll have this big, strong man by my side. Who, I’ve been told loves me. And his brother, and a vampire. I think I’ll be fine.”

He gave her a half smile, then dipped his head to her waiting lips. They shared a soft kiss. She pulled away from the kiss, but left their foreheads touching. She smiled at him, while staring in his baby blues. He nuzzled her nose with his before giving her another small peck on the lips.

“We better get going before Seth gets pissed,” he said. Then he grabbed her bag, taking the handles in the same hand as his bag. Leaving his other hand free to take Kate’s, and they walked to the elevator hand in hand. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eventually the tracker stopped moving. They pulled up to the building after being in the car for almost three hours. It looked like a warehouse building, and there were still lights on. Seth suggested that they set up camp at a nearby motel, and would then come back later tonight. Hoping there wouldn’t be anyone inside when they broke in.

The tracker was still working, so it’s not like they wouldn’t know if it was moved. So they headed off to find a motel with a room with two beds. They found an okayish looking one about twenty minutes away. They didn’t want to be too close in case things didn’t go as planned and they needed to lose someone.

They settled in, then Seth and Al went to grab them something to eat from a fast food place around the corner. They gorged on burgers, fries, and onion rings while waiting for the sun to go completely down. When it did, they prepared to make their move. They again made a plan that didn’t involve Kate, and she was pissed.

“What the fuck, guys?” She yelled. “Stop treating me like I’m useless.”

“We’re not treating you like you’re useless,” said Seth. “We’re treating you like we don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

“Are you forgetting who fought Amaru alongside you? Who literally went to Hell and back to get your brother?”

“No,” he said. “I’m not. I just don’t think it’s a good idea that we all rush in there at once when we have no idea what we’re heading into.”

“But it’s okay for the rest of you to go?”

“Relax, Kate. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of opportunities to kick some ass.”

“Richie,” she pleaded.

He shook his head. “You already know my stance on this, Kate. I know you can take care of yourself, but I don’t think we should all just barge in there guns blazing, when we have no idea what’s waiting for us.”

“So why am I the only one getting left on the sidelines?”

“If I had my way,” said Al. “Seth wouldn’t be coming either. But I’ve been overruled.”

“Why?” Asked Kate. “Because we’re human?”

“That’s exactly why,” said the Vespertilio. “You guys are a little more fragile than I would like. Richie and I can take a lot more damage than you guys can. Which is helpful when we’re practically going in blind. What if this is an ambush? Some sort of trap? We’d just be giving them everything they want.”

“She’s right,” chimed in Richie. “We can’t all go, in case this shit goes sideways. One of us has to be able to warn the others if this goes wrong.”

“And it has to be me?” Asked Kate in annoyance.

“Yes, Princess,” said Seth. “We need it to be you.”

She sighed. “What do you want me to do?”

“If we don’t make it back by sunup,” said Seth. “Call the ranger and get the fuck out of here. Call Kisa too, so she can go into hiding.”

She agreed and they continued getting ready. Each had at least one gun and a blade. Plus the vampires had fangs and general strength on their side. They headed out the door as soon as they were all ready.

Richie stopped at the door before leaving. 

“Kate,” he said, looking her in the eyes. “You know you’re just as important as everyone else in this plan, right? You’re the ace in the hole.”

“Whatever, Richard,” she huffed.

“Please don’t be mad at me,” he said. “I love you, Kate. I can’t let anything happen to you. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I did.”

“You don’t need to worry about me, Richie.”

“I always worry about you. You’re the most important thing in my life. Have been since you came back to me.”

“Richie. . .”

“You remember what you have to do right?” He interrupted her. “Don’t be stupid about it. If we don’t come back, just get the fuck out of here and warn the others. Don’t come looking.”

“I know,” she said, making her way to him. “Just promise that it won’t come to that.”

“You know I can’t do that.”

“Just come back to me, Richie.”

“I will do everything in my power to make it back to you, Kate.”

She kissed him then. Wrapped herself tightly around him and squeezed. She pulled away and looked him in the eyes. “You better.”

“That I can promise. I will do whatever I have to to make it back.” He kissed her again. “You promise me this though. You hear or see anything that makes you question, you call me. I’ll drop whatever the fuck I’m doing to get back to you.”

“I promise,” she said, kissing him again.

“I mean it, Kate. You call, and I’ll come running, guns blazing.”

“I know you will,” she said, smiling up at him. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

They kissed one last time before he turned to leave. Kate watched them drive away, then locked the door behind them. Now it was just a waiting game for her. She had to sit there, and just hope that everything would work itself out. It was one of the most difficult things she ever had to do.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They arrived back at the building just after midnight. The building was dark. They quietly made their way to a back door, after scouting for cameras. There didn’t seem to be many on the outside, just one by the front door, and one by the docks.

Seth picked the lock and they slid in, quietly closing the door behind them. Richie had the tracker app pulled up on his phone. It would get them pretty close. They could tell it was on the other side of the building from where they currently were, so they headed in that direction. 

“It’s like a fucking maze in here,” said Seth, as they turned down another hallway.

“Looks like we’re getting close though,” said Richie, looking down at the screen.

The only lights on in the building were the emergency lights at the corners of the hall intersections. Otherwise it was pitch black. Luckily Richie and Alessandra could see, because Seth was practically walking around blind.

As they headed to the next turn, they heard footsteps down the hall. They pressed themselves flat against the wall, as a shadow crept towards the light at the end of the hall. A man walked past their hallway without so much as a glance, heading in the direction they needed to go.

“Shit,” whispered Al. “Looks like they have some security after all.”

“Yeah,” Richie whispered back. “And he’s heading where we need to go.”

“Get your balls on, Richard,” said Seth. “And you, get whatever you need to get on.”

She shot him a “really?” look, but he couldn’t see it anyway. 

Al pulled out her stiletto and flipped it open, as Richie took out his favorite Xibalban blade. Seth cocked his favorite six shooter. Then they slowly made their way down the hall.

Around the corner there was some mumbling followed by a door opening and closing. Al peaked around the corner carefully. There was one guard standing outside the only door to the left. She turned back to the guys and held up one finger, indicating her findings.

“How are we going about this?” Whispered Seth. “Guns blazing?”

“No,” she whispered back. “I have a plan. Give me your shoe.”

“My shoe?” he asked.

“Yeah, yours. Give it to me.”

“What the fuck do you need it for?”

“Just give it to me. Would you?”

He rolled his eyes, shook his head, and pulled off his shoe. She took it from him, and quickly looked back around the corner at the guard. Then she threw his shoe down the opposite side of the hallway. It clapped a few times as it bounced down the hall, sounding oddly like footsteps.

The guard looked down the hall, and seeing nothing, decided to check it out. His footsteps could be heard heading their way, and Al was at the ready. When he reached them she gave a quick whistle. He flung around at the sound, and was met by Al’s knife. Before he could even react, she had it in his throat, to the hilt.

She removed the blade with a gush of blood. The guard instinctively grabbed at the gaping hole in his neck. Blood was pouring around his fingers. He tried to speak, but only managed to cough up more blood. He fell to his knees in front of them, and continued to bleed out on the floor.

Al licked the blade clean, which was absolutely disgusting to Seth. But it had a dual purpose, she got to feed a bit, plus one other benefit.

“Human,” she said as she finished. “You better get your shoe, Seth. Don’t want to be walking around with just one.”

“About that,” he replied. “Why the fuck did you have to use my shoe for that?”

“I wasn’t going to use mine,” she laughed.

He made a sound of disgust then tore down the hall to get his shoe, followed by the sounds of Al and Richie snickering behind him.

“Assholes,” he said as he put it back on.

They made their way to the door. The room was lit up pretty well. Seth and Richie poked their heads up to the glass windows of the door to get a good look inside. It was a large warehouse stockroom.

“Fuck,” whispered Richie. “There’s got to be a thousand fucking boxes in there.”

“You sure it’s in this room?” Asked Seth.

“As far as I can tell.”

“Fuck,” exhaled Seth.

“There’s one guard on your side, Seth. Take him out quickly and quietly when we open this door. Don’t want him calling any of his friends.”

Seth nodded, the gave a one, two, three count with his fingers. The brothers opened their doors simultaneously. The guard turned to the open door in surprise. As soon as he set eyes on them, Seth cold cocked him with his gun. The guard fell to the ground.

They made their way slowly into the room, not sure if any others lurked around. Al quietly closed the doors behind them. 

A guy holding a box turned the corner just then and saw them. His eyes grew big as Seth held his gun to the guy’s face.

He dropped the box and threw his hands up. “I just work here, man.”

“Got any new arrivals?” Asked Seth.

“What?" Asked the guy, stunned.

“Any ugly, red cups show up today?” 

“I don’t know,” he stuttered. “But if it did, it would probably be in here.” He pointed to the office doorway he just came from. 

Seth shook his gun at him. “Let’s go. You first.”

The guy turned around and walked the few steps back to the office. When he got to the door, he wheeled around on Seth, all snake fangs and glowing green eyes. Richie moved in, pinning the guy to the wall before he got anywhere near Seth. He had auto-release stakes strapped under his sleeves, and was going in for the kill. The guy fought back, hissing.

A gun went off behind them, the bullet catching Alessandra full in the shoulder. The guard Seth had cold cocked was back up, revealing glowing, yellow eyes, and his own snake fangs. He smashed Al in the head with his gun as he made his way to Seth.

Both brothers were struggling with their own Culebra as Alessandra lay on the ground. Richie was now on the ground as well, fighting with his guy over the stake. Seth was backed up against the wall, getting choked.

There was a growl from the ground as Al flung to her feet, amber eyes and Vespertilio fangs showing just how pissed she was. She jumped on the back of the guy choking Seth, and bit into his neck, tearing flesh away as she pulled back. The Culebra screamed as she went back for a second bite, worrying at his neck like a rabid dog. 

Seth grabbed the stake from his inside jacket pocket and staked the guy as Al jumped off. Richie was now full on grappling with his guy, stake dropped to the ground, out of reach. Al grabbed it and stabbed the guy in the back. He turned to ash above Richie.

The room went quiet. Somehow they didn’t manage to catch anyone else’s attention. It was possible that they were the only ones in here, but they couldn’t be sure.

They headed back towards the door the one guy came from. There was a bunch of crap sitting in open boxes all around the room. They started digging through them, looking for the chalice. They worked on different sides of the room, trying to canvas as much of the place as possible in the shortest amount of time.

“Anything?” Asked Seth, turning to his right where Richie was dumping boxes.

“Nothing,” he replied.

“Al?” He questioned as he turned to face her in the back of the room.

“No such luck.”

“Fuck,” he cursed under his breath.

Bang!

Al and Richie shot around at the noise. A man in all black stood just in the doorway, gun pointed. Seth was falling to his knees, blood seeping through the stomach of his shirt. Both Al and Richie snarled into their respective vampire forms and charged in that direction.


	8. Wolf Venom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We left off last time after Seth was shot. This is what happens after.
> 
> Tidbit: He watched them at their booth while sipping his drink, and it wasn’t long before he knew that he was going to be his next meal. The girl was obviously scared, and undoubtedly spoke little to no English. The guy kept looking at her breasts and licking his lips. He would caress her cheek and she would flinch. All Richie had to do was wait for the right moment, which came as the guy got up to use the restroom.

Bang! Seth fell to the ground, blood pouring from his gut.

“Shit,” snarled Alessandra in a panic, racing towards the wounded Gecko.

Without hesitation Richie ran for the shooter. He grabbed him by the chin and snapped his neck back in one swift motion. His head was left dangling limply behind his back before he fell to the ground. The guy had no chance. 

Within seconds Richie was at his brother’s side. Alessandra was already putting pressure on the wound to try to stop the bleeding.

“It’s just a flesh wound, brother,” wheezed Seth before his eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out.

“Shit shit shit,” cried Alessandra in frustration. “He’s really bleeding out, must have caught an artery.” She looked towards Richie. “We need to get him out of here, now.”

Richie bent down and grabbed Seth around the waist, placing Seth’s arm around his shoulder. Alessandra took the other side. They dragged his failing body over the dead guard, through the hall, and out to the car. It was farther than they would have liked, but it was their only hope. There was no telling who or what else was lurking.

They got him into the backseat and raced back to the motel. Richie was driving while Alessandra sat in the back continuing to put pressure on the wound. They had to get him to safety and get him fixed up before he bled out. 

“Talk to me,” Richie screamed impatiently. “How's he doing, Al?”

“Not good,” she replied shakily. “He’s bleeding way too fast. Something’s wrong.”

“What?!”

“I don’t know,” she yelled back. “The blood won’t stop coming”

Fuck, she thought. She couldn’t focus. Think, just think Al. She was trying to think of what the Hell could be causing the blood to pour from him like this. It wasn’t normal, even for an artery. It was coming too fast. Then it hit her, it wasn’t clotting, not even a little bit.

“Fuck, Richie.”

“What?”

“You remember me telling you that Vespertilio saliva has an anticoagulant? Well I think this bullet was soaked in it. That would explain why the blood is flowing so easily.”

“So what the fuck do we do now?”

“Well, we need to close this wound before he bleeds out.”

“Yeah,” he said sarcastically. “No shit. How the fuck are we supposed to do that? We are still like ten to fifteen minutes from the motel. I don’t have anything in here.”

“I do.”

“What you got a needle and thread in your back pocket you didn’t tell me about?”

“No, you idiot,” she said in annoyance. “I may or may not have mentioned that there are more differences between Culebras and Vespertilio. Our blood heals.”

“What did you say?” He asked in an irritated tone.

“If I rub some of my blood in the bullet wound, it should start to heal, quickly. It’s a through and through so we don’t need to get the bullet out. He should be fine.”

“Then what the fuck are you waiting for?”

She bit into her wrist quickly and let the blood drop into the wound in his stomach. She turned him on his side and did the same with the exit wound. She rubbed the blood in, in a circular motion. The wounds started to visibly close. Seth started to buck and convulse in her lap.

“What the fuck is happening to him?” Screamed Richie as he saw his brother in the rear view mirror.

“It’s okay,” she reassured him. “His body is reacting to the blood. It’s rapidly healing itself. It can be really painful because the tissue is reproducing itself at an unnaturally fast rate. It’s temporary. He’ll be fine when it’s over. Good as new. Maybe even better. One side effect is that he’ll be a little itchy where the wounds were for a few days though.”

Richie alternated between watching the road and looking at his brother in the rear view mirror. Seth was shaking, muscles clenching, as he whined and moaned in his nearly unconscious state. He trusted Al to the extent that she wouldn’t do anything to harm Seth, so he believed her when she said he would be okay. It was still hard to watch though, knowing he could do nothing to help him. Al had that covered though, as she tried to comfort him in the backseat.

“It’s okay, Seth,” she murmured as she ran her fingers through his damp hair. “You’re gonna be just fine. It will all be over soon. Then you can get back to being your old, sarcastic, asshole self. Just relax.”

To Richie, Seth seemed to be reacting to her words. Like just knowing someone was there for him was making him more comfortable. His shaking slowed and his moans turned to slight whimpering.

“That’s it,” she said, noticing the changes in Seth as well. “Just breathe, Gecko.”

The wounds were nearly completely closed as Richie pulled into the motel parking lot. Seth was still unconscious though, and Richie wanted to get him to the room as soon as he could to take a look at him. He picked him up and slung him over his shoulder, carrying him to their room.

“Key is in my pocket,” he said as they approached the door.

Alessandra reached for it. She slid the keycard and pushed the door open as Richie effortlessly carried his dead weight brother into the room.

Kate jumped in surprise as she saw the scene unfold. “Oh my God! What happened? Is he okay?”

“He was shot,” informed Alessandra.

“Oh my God, Seth.” She ran to his side as Richard placed him in one of the beds. She looked down at his open shirt. There was a lot of blood, but no holes. “Where? I see the blood, but no bullet wounds.”

“Apparently Vespertilio blood heals,” said Richard giving Alessandra a look of contempt.

“Sorry, Richard,” she exclaimed. “I forgot to mention it. Okay? Is there anything else you would like to know?”

“For starters, everything. You’ve been holding out on us from the beginning.”

“I have not! I’ve given you all I know about what’s happening.”

“Minus a few key details. You almost let him die before you decided to share that little tidbit. Why didn’t you do that from the start?”

“I don’t know! There was a lot going on. Plus something didn’t sit straight with me. I never would have let him die, Richard. Never.”

With that, the room went quiet. Alessandra sat on the couch on the other side of the room as Richie checked Seth over. 

Kate was frantically fussing over the unconscious Seth because she didn’t know what else to do. She put an extra pillow under his head and fluffed it, trying to make him comfortable. Then she took off his shoe and jacket, and covered him with the comforter. 

An hour later, Seth was still out cold. His breathing was starting to unsteady, and sweat was dripping from his brow. Kate put the back of her hand to his forehead.

“He’s burning up,” she stated. “Like he’s got an infection.”

Richie looked sternly over at Alessandra. “Is this normal? You said he would be okay.”

“No,” she said, rising from the couch and heading over to the bed. “This isn’t right. He should be waking up by now.”

“Well then what the fuck is going on?” He asked impatiently.

“I don’t know,” she yelled back. “God fucking damn it! What the fuck is going on here? First this asshole surprises us and shoots him. Then we find out this bullet is soaked in vampire saliva. What the fuck is next?”

Kate could see both of their brains ticking as they tried to figure out the possibilities, frustration clear on their faces. Richie and Alessandra were some of the smartest people Kate knew, but this required some out of the box thinking. 

“What if there was more on the bullet than vampire spit?” Asked Richie, breaking the silence. “What if it was poisoned? Like arsenic or something. Can your blood heal that?”

“No,” said Alessandra. “It can only heal flesh wounds. But you might be right about something else on the bullet.”

She sat down next to Seth and took his hand in hers. Her eyes changed to that unnatural amber color that signals her change into something more than human. She opened her mouth to reveal her monstrous fangs and lowered her head to his wrist.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Asked Richie, in anger and confusion.

“I’m trying to figure out what, if any poison is in his blood. Do you have a better idea, Richard?” She hissed as her tongue brushed up against her fangs. 

“No,” he said weakly.

“There are many things you need to learn, Culebra. You can taste this too, if you know what to look for.”

She brought his wrist to her mouth and gently bit down. She closed her eyes as the blood flowed into her mouth. She stayed like this for a few seconds, clearly savoring the taste of fresh blood. Richie and Kate just sat there quietly watching, ready to pull her off if need be.

When she was finished, she lifted her head and tilted it back, still keeping her eyes closed as she took in a big breath. Kate saw her run her tongue over her fangs under her lips, tasting his blood. It was kind of unsettling. 

When she was done, she turned to face them and slowly opened her eyes. They were back to their natural brown now. Her face was slack, emotionless.

“Well,” she said. “It’s not poison per say, but it’s just as bad.”

“What is it?” Kate asked, concern lacing her voice.

“Werewolf venom,” she replied, looking a little woozy. 

“What the fuck does that mean?” Asked Richard, impatiently.

“He’ll be okay if we get most of it out,” she said. “He’s already lost a lot of blood, so he’s halfway drained anyway. You need to drain as much as you can from him, or one of two things will happen. One, his body adjusts to the virus and he becomes one, or two, his body keeps trying to fight it and eventually loses. He’s gonna need a transfusion when you’re done. Kate’s blood will work. They’ve shared before so you know it will take.”

Kate knew something was wrong right away. Alessandra looked dazed and she kept blinking at an alarming rate. Her speech was slurring towards the end. 

“Are you okay, Al?” She asked.

“No, not really,” she slurred. “Shit is extremely poisonous to us. Culebras too, Richard. So don’t drink it! I’m betting they soaked the bullet in that too, in case their target wasn’t human. You need. . .”

She started to slump to the side and her eyes fluttered. Richie quickly grabbed her before she hit the ground. He placed her next to Seth on the bed.

“Hey,” he said, tapping her on the cheek. “Come on, Al. Wake up.”

Her eyes flickered open and she slowly continued, her words heavily slurred. “You need to get the transfusion started right away,” she took a long, shaky breath. “After you get Kate’s blood pumped in, give him some of mine. It will heal the internal damage done by the venom.” She stopped, trying to catch her breath. “It will cause searing pain on the inside as he heals, like earlier. It’s only temporary, Richard. He’ll heal. He’ll be okay.”

“What about you?” Kate asked. “Will you be okay?”

Alessandra took a deep, shaky breath. “Most likely. I didn’t drink a lot. I should be fi. . .” That was all she got out before she passed out.

Richie quickly sprung into action, grabbing the first aid bag. After the Amaru situation, they took to keeping transfusion supplies in there, just in case. Good thing, because now they needed it.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a bright summer’s day, and the wind blew through the fruit trees, causing that peaceful rustling she liked so much. The scene in front of her was far less peaceful though. If felt like a memory, but it wasn’t her own.

Al was walking through the orchard, when she spotted Peaches, the German Shepherd Richie stole from the neighbors. She was all bit up and foaming at the mouth. She ran and got dad because she wasn’t sure what to do.

“Looks like you’re gonna have to put that dog down, son,” said dad.

“But that’s Richie’s dog,” she replied in a little boy’s voice.

“First of all, that ain’t his dog. Second of all, who gives a shit about that retard ass brother of yours? I said put that damn dog down, boy,” dad said with no compassion whatsoever.

He put his gun in Al’s little hand and aimed it at the rabid dog. Al knew if she didn’t do it, dad would be pissed, probably even beat her up a bit. She took the shot, hitting the dog square on. It was quick.

Al was struggling with her small hands to put a gun together like dad asked. It wasn’t fast enough.

“Again,” he said. “Do it faster, or I shoot your retard brother in the head.”

Richie stood there shaking, gun pointed at his head. Dad had a mean grip on his arm to keep him in place. There were definitely going to be bruises. 

Al raced against the clock trying her hardest to get it done fast enough. It was still too slow.

Dad pulled the trigger. Click, no bullet.

“Oh, close one,” he laughed. “There’s one bullet in here, and this gun only holds six. Now you only have five more chances, you little shit. Do it faster!”

Al started again, racing to put the gun together like she was shown. She put it together, and put the gun down just in the nick of time. She and Richie were off the hook this time.

Al walked into their tiny kitchen to grab a coke from the fridge. She saw Richie sitting on the back porch in the dark of the night. He looked sad, so she went to comfort him.

“What’s up, Richie?” She asked in the voice of a teenage boy. “Why you sittin’ out here by yourself?”

“I did what you said,” he replied in his squeaky pre-teen voice.

Al sat next to him. “How’d it go?”

“She said no,” he sighed. “Said she wouldn’t be caught dead at the dance with a freak like me.”

Al’s heart broke. She knew Richie had a crush and Sarah Palmer since the sixth grade. All he wanted to do was take her to the eighth grade dance, and she convinced him to give it a try. She hated it when people were mean to him. He was her younger brother, and yes she knew he was weird, but he wasn’t a freak. He was a good guy on the inside. Why couldn’t people see that?

“Hey, don’t worry about it Richie,” she said, putting her arm around his shoulder. “It’s her loss. You’ll get a girl someday. A real good one. Plus Sarah was always kind of a bitch, and she has no boobs. You can do better.”

“I’d like to believe that,” he said.

The dreams continued like that all night. They were short little memories that were not her own, but they felt so real. Like she was really remembering them, and not just seeing them for the first time. It was confusing, but Al would remember all of them.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie had the guy pinned to the dumpster, his teeth in his neck. He had already stopped screaming, and Richie could now finish his dinner in peace. He found this piece of shit in a dirty, small town bar. He came in with what was clearly an underage, Mexican girl, who was maybe sixteen at the most. No one seemed to notice or care. That is why Richie liked these small, hole in the wall, places. Sometimes the lowest of the low would come in, and no one would even bat an eye.

He watched them at their booth while sipping his drink, and it wasn’t long before he knew that he was going to be his next meal. The girl was obviously scared, and undoubtedly spoke little to no English. The guy kept looking at her breasts and licking his lips. He would caress her cheek and she would flinch. All Richie had to do was wait for the right moment, which came as the guy got up to use the restroom. He made it clear the girl shouldn’t move as he got up.

Richie finished his top shelf whiskey in one swig then followed him. He waited outside the door for him. When he exited, Richie grabbed him, put his hand over his mouth, and pulled him out the back exit into the alley. The man got no words out before Richie sunk his teeth in. His muffled scream filled Richie’s ears, but was too quiet to be heard from the street.

Flashes of this man forcing himself on the girl ran through his head. He made her go down on him in the car before they came in. She cried and choked as he forced her all the way down. Then he saw another girl he did the same to. Then another and another. He raped them all, then traded them with other perverts. Richie knew he made a good choice, no matter how disgusted he felt after. 

The guy left a bad taste in Richie’s mouth, like all the creeps he ate did, but he wasn’t hungry anymore. He was full of strength and revitalized. He needed to feed, but nowhere did it say he had to enjoy it. He got the thrill of the kill, and the sustenance it provided, but nothing more. No joy, no pleasure. 

He went back to the bar to get a drink. The whiskey would cleanse his pallet. He made sure to wipe all the blood from his mouth and face before he went back in. He saw the girl still sitting in their booth, thought about telling her she could go, but decided it was better not to get involved any more than he already did. 

He sat at counter and asked the bartender for two shots of the cheapest whiskey. He hated the cheap stuff, it burned going down. But somehow it always seemed to clean the filth from his mouth better than the good stuff.

He downed them, then threw his money on the bar. He pulled his cigarettes out of his pocket as he left the bar. He lit one as he headed to the car. He leaned against the car smoking before he got in. Seth would be furious if he smoked in his car, he thought it was a disgusting habit. 

Seth hated that Richie smoked, and never understood how a guy as smart as him started smoking to begin with. It helps with the nerves and anxiety. Two problems Richie always had, that the confident and personable Seth never could understand. He always tried to get him to quit, but it’s not like it was going to kill him now, so why stop.

He would respect his brother’s wishes though. He finished the cigarette before he got in, throwing the butt to the ground and stomping it out.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was only a short drive back to the motel. He had been gone a little over an hour waiting for his dinner. He wanted to get back and check on everyone, make sure they were alright. Even Kate, who had to donate a large quantity of blood. He made sure to pick her up something to eat before he went out for himself, but he still needed to make sure she was okay.

He entered the room quietly. All the lights were off, but he could still see pretty well. Everyone was in bed, asleep.

Seth and Al were still in the same positions he left them in. He made his way over to them first. He listened for breathing, and when he heard it, he put the back of this hand the Seth’s head. It was pasty, but the fever seemed to be going down. He did the same with Al. She seemed fine too.

He made his way over to Kate and did them same. Upon deciding she was okay, he made his way to the bathroom. He wanted to get cleaned up and ready for bed. He wouldn’t want to find any of that creep’s blood on him in the morning.

He came out of the bathroom shortly after that, to the same scene. He was in his pj bottoms and no shirt, which is how he usually slept. He walked back over to Kate, and gently kissed her on the forehead before heading to the couch. 

He was settling him, like he always did after he fed, when he heard a rustling from one of the beds.

“Richie,” said Kate, in a sleepy whisper. “Is that you?”

“Yeah, it’s me,” he replied. “Go back to sleep, sweetheart.”

“Why are you over there? Come to bed.”

“Really?” He asked. “You want me in bed with you? I don’t mind the couch, Kate.”

“Why would you ask me that? Of course I want you in bed with me. Come here.”

He got up and made his way to the bad. Kate scooted over so he could lay in front of her. He took his glasses off and put them on the nightstand before he slid in. Kate wrapped him up in the covers. She tuckered in close, resting her head on his shoulder. 

“Why would you think I wouldn’t want you next to me?” She asked, once they were both settled in.

“I don’t know,” he said. “We don’t usually share a bed.”

“We did the other night, and you didn’t seem to have a problem.”

“It wasn’t me I was worried about.”

“I didn’t have a problem with it either, Richie. I like waking up with you.”

“I do too,” he said, rubbing the knee of the leg she had flung over him.

They laid there quietly for a bit. He continued rubbing her knee, and she ran her hand across his chest. She looked up at him, his eyes were wide open. There was something clearly on his mind, and she had a good idea what it was.

“I’m worried about him too,” she whispered, kissing his shoulder. “But he’s gonna be okay.”

“You weren’t there, Kate. It was awful. I couldn’t do anything to protect him.”

“I know, Richie. But it’s okay now.”

“He’s gonna die one day. And there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”

“I know, but it will be okay. You don’t have to worry about that right now. And hopefully not for a long time. Just get some sleep.”

He pulled away from her, and sat up. “You’re gonna die one day too, and I can’t stop that either. Then I’ll be all alone. I need to protect you, Kate. I can’t lose you, not now.”

“Richie, come here,” she said, pulling his head to her chest. He huddled against her, holding her tight like a frightened child. 

“I’m okay. Seth’s okay. You’re okay,” she whispered to him. “That’s all that matters right now. None of us can stop the future, Richie. But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy what we have right now. I love you, and you love me. We have each other right now, and we are all okay. I’m not going anywhere, Richie. Just get some sleep, and everything will be okay in the morning.”

She put her arm around his shoulder and kissed the top of his head. She rubbed his arm gently, back and forth, as he nuzzled in closer. He sighed into her chest, and she kissed his head again. They both eventually differed off to sleep, with her holding him this time.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the gang parted ways after defeating Amaru, Kisa and her new Culebra friends got on the road and headed no place in particular. Eventually Kisa found another abandoned warehouse and started up another flight clubesque bar. This one was more official, and was co-run by her and Marisol. 

The front door lead to a huge open space, with a long bar along all four walls. In the center there was of course a fighting ring. The bar, called Xibalban Blaze, was open from dusk till Dawn everyday. It had become very successful in the last year and a half since it opened. Mainly due to Marisol’s degree in business management, and previous experience running bars and restaurants. 

Both humans and Culebras alike frequented Xibalban Blaze. It was a safe place though, and no unwarranted bloodshed was allowed. People could sign up for fights like an open mic night, and there were rooms in back for more private activities. These activities usually involved Culebras feeding from willing participants. No killing was allowed though, everyone walked away from these encounters. Failure to follow these rules was punished by death.

Even further behind these private rooms, offices, and store rooms, was a private living space for Kisa and Marisol. It had a open floor-plan living space with a large kitchen and living room. There were also two bedrooms, each with their own bathroom. It was a nice and cozy setup for the two women. 

Kisa was sitting in her dressing area in a short, black, silk kimono putting on mascara, and getting ready to open the bar for the night. She heard the door to their little apartment open.

“Marisol, es que tu?” She yelled through the bedroom door to the rest of the apartment. “I didn’t know you would be back so soon, Mi alma.”

Nobody answered, so she got up to she what she was doing.

“Mi vida?” She asked. “What are you up to?”

As soon as she made it through the doorway she was hit in the side by a cattle prod. She fell to the floor, convulsing. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a large bag being pulled over her head. She ducked even further down and rolled out of the way.

There were two assailants with masks covering their faces, surrounding her. The one with the bag made another attempt to get her, but she swept her legs out, knocking him to the floor with a thud. 

The other charged at her again with the cattle prod. Kisa leapt to her feet and blocked the cattle prod with her left arm, punching the man full force in the center of his chest. He wheezed, took three steps back, and dropped the prod.

A stinging pain seared through her side as the other man was back up, stabbing her in the side with a blade. A Xibalban blade from the look of it, that one was gonna hurt. She kicked him in the chest, dislodging the blade and throwing it to the ground.

The other man was back, and had her by the neck from behind. She used the leverage from his hold to kick the other man again, this time with both feet. He flew back and hit the wall, hard. When she got back to her feet, she flung the guy holding her over her in one swift move, pinning him to the floor and dislocating his shoulder with a classic hold. He screamed in pain.

She grabbed the cattle prod and got him with it, right in the chest. He seized and convulsed on the ground, foaming at the mouth. 

She walked over to the other guy, who was just getting back up. She punched him right in the nose, breaking it. His head flew back and he slumped to the ground against the very wall he hit earlier. She cattle prodded him too, for good measure. He foamed at the mouth, just like his friend.

She made sure both men were good and dead, by stabbing both in the heart with the Xibalban blade. One of them emilated like a Culebra, the other just bled out like a human.

She quickly got on the phone to warn Marisol off, telling her it was not safe here, or around her. She told her to stay away for now, and find somewhere safe where they couldn’t find her. She lost one girlfriend before when Hell beasts came looking for her, she wasn’t going to lose another.

She finished dressing, and packed a small bag in a hurry, before racing to her Firebird. She got in and headed full speed to the Jacknife. It was no longer safe to be on her own, she needed the help of the Geckos. They were gonna bring these guys down. No matter what the cost.


	9. What Happens in Between

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After what happened the night before, the group refocuses back at the Jacknife. 
> 
> Tidbit:
> 
>  
> 
> It was 2:30 in the morning. Kate was laying in her bed, wide awake. She couldn’t sleep, she had too much on her mind. She thought about Richie lying in the next room, and wondered why she was here alone. His solid body and inviting arms were just on the other side of that wall, yet for some reason she chose to come in here by herself. She decided she didn’t like sleeping alone any more. She liked the feeling of him next to her.

Seth sees through eyes that are not his own. He is in their villa outside of Salerno, Italy, looking to their vineyard. A military vehicle approaches and his heart sinks. He runs to the door calling for mamma and papa in a voice that is not his.

They get to the door, standing there are two military officials. One hands papa a piece of paper, it’s a telegram. The man nods his head, as they turn and leave the family to read the little note.

It’s in Italian, but somehow Seth knows what it says. It says they are sorry to inform the family of Luca Cormini that he was one of the casualties in the battle of Isonza in the last week of March, 1916. 

Mamma fell to her knees, wailing. Papa stood there, shell shocked, staring at the little paper. Seth bent to his knees, trying to soothe mamma. Repeating ‘Va bene mamma’ over and over as he held her, his stranger’s voice cracking as tears formed in his eyes. 

He woke with a jolt, sweat dripping from his head and covering his body.

“What the fuck?” He asked himself out loud.

The room was dark, just a bit of light creeping through the crack between the curtains. Laying next to him was a totally unconscious Alessandra, wrapped in the blankets. He could see her chest slowly rising and falling as she lay on her back, completely un-phased by his shooting out of his slumber. He couldn’t remember how she got there. Hell, he couldn’t remember how he got here either.

In the bed to his left he saw a sleeping Kate, lying on her back, with Richie curled up next to her. His head on her chest and his arm securely around her waist, her arm around his shoulder. It was an oddly vulnerable position for the man of 6’1”, to be tucked so tightly to her tiny, just above 5’0” frame. Yet to Seth, they both looked totally comfortable.

Seth was never one to show vulnerability to anyone, but with Kate, Richie didn’t seem to have the same qualms. She made him comfortable enough to show his vulnerable side, and Seth liked that about her. His little brother needed that, and Kate was obviously happy to provide that for him. 

He would never admit to either of them, especially Richie, the joy he was feeling knowing that they were together. Despite his own feelings for her, he wanted this for them for so long, and was relieved that it was finally happening. He felt that pushing them together was the best gift he could have ever given either of them. They were good for each other, and they would be happy together. What more could he want for the two people he loved the most?

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alessandra was the last to wake up, and when she did she was still pretty drowsy. She was weak and desperately needed to feed. The werewolf venom had really taken its toll on her.

Seth wasn’t feeling too hot either, but he seemed to be faring better than she was. He was starving though, and still pretty weak. He hadn’t eaten since the transfusion, because he was out cold. 

Richie braved the morning sun to take Al out to feed. In her weakened state she would mostly likely need some help if she didn’t want to make a scene. Kate walked with Seth down the street to a diner to grab some breakfast. Obviously Richie and Al would need the car. One, neither did well in the sun, and two, they didn’t want to feed too close to the motel. They planned to be as quick as possible and meet the others at the diner after. 

They had decent success, as Richie took her to the same neighborhood he fed in last night. It seemed to be a sketchier part of town, and he figured it would be easier to find less decent people around there. 

While Alessandra didn’t strictly abide by his bad guys only diet, she understood his logic and appreciated his sense of morality. She wasn’t a ruthless killer herself, and when she did feed on someone she considered innocent, she never killed them. One of the benefits of being a Vespertilio instead of a Culebra was their penchant for mind control. She could simply make her snack forget about the whole thing and let them mosey on along.

Today though, she was starving and weak from the venom. She was going to need a complete meal. So this looking for a less desirable person who may or may not be a drain on society plan, seemed to work just fine.

They found a weed dealer in a skate park not that far from the bar. They saw him dealing to some of the kids there, and they appeared rather young. Now neither thought that was the worst crime, but they had limited options and were short on time. The world would be just fine with one less weed dealer selling to the youth of America. There would always be others who could take his place.

As he was leaving the park and heading down one of the streets, Richie grabbed him and dragged him into an alley. Al was right behind him. She feed quickly, draining him completely. When she dropped the body behind a dumpster, Richie made his way over to browse through his belongings. He had an assortment of weed still in his pockets in little bags.

“No need to waste this,” chuckled Richie, as he pocketed the stash.

“Agreed,” nodded Al with a smirk. “You know, his apartment is only a few blocks away. From what I just saw, guy’s got a pretty sizable stash there.”

Richie paused, clearly thinking it over, “Any other day and I would say yes to that, but we’ve got to go.”

“Damn. You’re right. Let’s go.”

They quickly headed back to the car and made their way to the diner. When they arrived, Seth and Kate were sitting in a booth in the back. Both were already done eating, and Seth was nursing his third cup of coffee. Kate pushed her remaining waffles to Richie, who gladly accepted them.

“Great,” said Richie, as Seth got another refill. “Now you’re gonna have to piss like four times on the way back."

“Please,” retorted Seth. “It will be two at the most.”

“You wish.”

“Watch me.”

“What, are you gonna piss your pants just to prove me wrong? ‘Cause I know you and that tiny, little baby bladder of yours aren’t gonna make it, brother.” 

“Well I’m not the one who wet the bed until I was five, so who really has bladder issues?”

“Please. You know that was only once, right after Dad made us watch Poltergeist. I thought that fuckin’ clown was under my bed, and I was too scared to get up.”

“Hmm,” said Seth with a smirk. “So not only were you a bed-wetter, you were a little bitch too.”

“I’m a bitch?” Laughed Richie. “You’re the one who cried when Bambi’s mom died.”

“You cried when they killed Old Yeller.”

“Kid had to shoot his own dog! You cried when Little Foot’s mom died. Sounds like someone has real mommy issues.”

“Fuck you, Richard!”

“Is this normal?” Asked Al, turning to Kate.

“Unfortunately yes,” she replied.

“Whatever, brother,” smirked Richie. “But you better be careful trying to hold it in, old man. Wouldn’t want you to get a UTI.”

“Richie and I were talking on the way back,” said Al, breaking up the banter. “We need to go back to the warehouse and get the chalice. As we were waiting for breakfast, he checked the app. The tracker still shows it’s there.”

“You think you guys got them all then?” Asked Kate. “And nobody realized yet that anything happened?”

“That, or it’s a trap,” said Seth.

“We thought of that too,” said Richie. “But we need to take that chance. If it is a trap, we’ll be ready for it.”

After Seth made his way to the restroom to relieve himself of one of his cups of coffee, they headed out to the warehouse. This time it was going to be all four of them. Kate refused to sit around and wait again. So they brought their whole arsenal with them in case it was indeed a trap. 

They pulled up to the building a short time after that. The parking lot was empty. They made their way to the back door as they did last night. It was still unlocked, and they slowly crept in, guns at the ready.

On their way to the back warehouse, they passed the body of the first guard that Al killed in the hall, surrounded in a pool of his own blood. Kate hissed at the gruesome sight. It was nothing she hadn’t seen before, in fact while Amaru was in her skin she saw much worse. It had been awhile since she had seen this in person though, and if was going to take some readjustment to get used to it again. Although, she was still hoping to not have to. 

As they made it back to the little store room that Seth was shot in, they saw the body of the guy Richie killed. His head was in the most awkward position, lolling to the back, neck clearly snapped in two.

Upon looking at him, Seth whispered, “Remind me never to piss either of you off.”

They made their way into the room, it looked much like it did the night before. They started digging through boxes before something caught Kate’s eye.

“Guys,” she said, getting their attention.

In the back corner of the room there was a box with a white envelope sitting on it. Richie made his way over to it. He took out a small piece of paper from the envelope. It said simply, ‘Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.’

Taped to the bottom of the little page was the tracker.

“Fuck,” he yelled. “Now they have the fucking chalice and we have no way of tracking it.”

“Fuck me,” breathed Seth. “Goddammit. Why is it that we cannot catch a fucking break?”

“I guess it’s back to square one,” said Al, clearly disappointed.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“How were we so fucking unprepared?” Asked Seth in pure frustration, as he sat in their office with Richie and Alessandra.

“Well we did go in pretty much completely blind,” said Al. “It’s not a total shocker.”

“We just let them get away,” he yelled. “With the fucking chalice no less.”

“Hey man,” said Al, clearly agitated. “We had more important things to worry about at the time.”

“Like you almost dying,” added Richie.

“Yeah, well I didn’t did I?” Said Seth. “Now we’re worse off then we were to begin with. They are that much closer to getting everything they need, and we practically just gave it to them.”

“We didn’t really have a choice, Seth,” yelled Richie back at him. “I wasn’t just gonna watch you die.”

“Yeah, well now all they need as far as Culebras are concerned is you and Kisa. And some relics that seem to be all over the fucking place.”

“Well I guess that means we just need to keep a better eye on him then, Seth,” added Al. “They can’t do anything without him.”

“This whole fucking thing is a nightmare,” he said, angrily. “How the fuck do we keep getting sucked into this shit? This is not how my life was supposed to end up. I should be sitting on a beach somewhere with my share of thirty million dollars, a cold drink, and a smokin’ hot chick on my cock. Not sitting around this place waiting for the world to end.”

“Okay, okay,” said Al. “We get it. This is not how you wanted your life to be. This isn’t exactly what I expected for mine either. The last two days were a total disappointment. Why don’t we dust ourselves off and come back to it later. Maybe try something a little lighter for now?”

“How can you just sit there and act like this isn’t a big deal?” Asked Seth, annoyed.

“In no way am I acting like this isn’t a big deal, Seth. But we sure as shit don’t have any other leads to go on, and just sitting here talking about our failures isn’t helping.” She paused, then continued. “Look it’s only a matter of time before these assholes make a move on Richie. We’ll be ready for them when they do. In the meantime, you don’t go anywhere without supervision,” she said pointing at Richie. “Now why don’t we try and talk about something else.”

“Like what?” Asked Seth, full of sarcasm. “Our favorite movies and new hit songs?”

“No,” she said, clearly irritated. “I was thinking maybe our other big issue we have to deal with.”

“And that would be?” Asked Seth, waving his hand and giving her an exasperated look.

“Like is your brother going to ask Kate out?” She said with a smirk.

“What?” Asked a suddenly annoyed Richie. “Since when does that have anything to do with you two?”

“Since you guys became pretty much the most adorable thing I have ever seen.”

He gave her a look, but all it did was make her laugh.

“No offense, brother,” said a suddenly much lighter Seth. “I’ve been a huge part in that for almost two years now.”

“Yeah,” said Al. “So as you can see, we are both pretty emotionally involved in your decision. You guys were so cute together this morning. The way she was holding you,” she put her hand over her heart and sighed. “So you gonna do it?”

“Maybe,” he replied.

“Maybe?” Questioned Seth. “Kate’s not the type of girl you just fool around with, Richard. She’s a keeper. The type of girl you would proudly bring home to Uncle Eddie if he was still around. She at least deserves a real date. And not just you taking her out for ice cream again.”

“Those weren’t dates, Seth,” spat Richie.

“Just because you didn’t tell her they were dates, Richard, it doesn’t mean they weren’t.”

“He’s right,” said Al, rolling her eyes at what was about to be another famous Gecko brouhaha. “A girl like Kate deserves your respect. If you’re gonna sleep with her, and by the way, we all know you’ve been fooling around with her, Richard, you really should do her the honor of at least treating her like a lady. She’s a good girl.”

“Don’t you think I know that,” added Richie.

“Then you’re gonna ask her out?” She asked. “Because I might literally die if you don’t.”

“Well, now that I know that you dying is an option,” said Richie with a smirk. “I’m completely torn.”

“You asshole,” she laughed. “You gonna do it or not?”

“Of course I am,” he said. “I’m just not sure how yet.”

“Oh. . . my. . . God!” she yelled in excitement. “Let me fucking help you! I have so many good ideas.”

“The thought of your ideas alone really worry me.”

“Why? I have great ideas. Plus I’ve grown strangely attached to Kate in the last week. I wouldn’t do anything to her that I wouldn’t want done to me. Besides, Richie, who do you think has more insight into what women want? You or me?”

Richie took a deep breath and sighed, “Fine.”

She clapped her hands then pointed at him forcefully, “You will not regret this, I promise. We will help you through this.”

“No, no, no. I said you. Nothing about Seth.”

“I need an inside man, Richie, and Seth would be perfect.”

“She’s right, brother,” said Seth with a smirk. “There’s no way I’m not helping. We’re gonna help you kick this date’s ass.”

“So,” said Alessandra. “You have any idea on what you’d like to do?”

“I have a pretty good idea,” said Richie. “I’ve just never really asked a girl on a real date before.”

“Oh my God!” she squealed in an uncharacteristic way. “This is your first big date! At least you’ve already put some thought into it.”

“Of course I’ve thought about it,” yelled Richie. “Do you have any idea what Kate means to me?”

“I believe I have a good idea. You want this to be perfect for her?”

“It absolutely needs to be.”

“Alright then,” said Al. “Let’s get started. Operation Kate Date starts now. Whatcha got so far, Richie?”

With that, they started making plans for their perfect first date. There were definitely bumps in the road along the way, but eventually they had a pretty good idea of what he should do. Alessandra thought Richie’s initial idea was cute. It would be just right for Kate with a little tweaking. She and Seth ironed out all the little details with Richie. She could tell he really loved her just by the amount of time he obviously had already used to plan what he had so far. She was so happy for Kate, and glad she got to be a part of creating her perfect night. She was absolutely sure she would love what he had planned. With her and Seth’s help of course. Next step, getting all the little working details in motion.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate had the late shift as a server tonight. She was busy taking orders at one of her tables when Kisa barged through the door. She could tell something was wrong by the look on her face. She saw Kisa walk straight through the ‘employee’s only’ door to the back. When she finished putting the order through to the kitchen, she headed back to see what was up.

Kate went through to the brothers’ office, but nobody was there, so she headed to the elevator. If they weren’t in the bar, and they weren’t in the office, they were somewhere down below. 

She found them in one of the large storage rooms. Richie apparently thought he could maybe find something more about the ritual if he looked through some of his old books and scrolls. He and Al had a huge stack of both piled in front of each of them. He was hoping to find a loophole, or if like Amaru’s ritual it had to be done at a certain time. Al was not sure of all the details, and he wanted to know if they were on borrowed time. So far, it appeared that they found nothing.

Kisa was standing in front of Seth, who was clearly not joining in on the research. He hated that kind of shit, claiming he didn’t do it when he was in school, he sure as shit wouldn’t do it now. 

Kate walked in in the middle of Kisa explaining what happened to her earlier tonight. After she finished, they told her about what had happened to them last night, and this morning. 

“It looks like they’re making their final moves,” stated Alessandra, with a worried look on her face.

“Great. So it’s only a matter of time before they try again,” said Seth, annoyed. “Thanks for bringing more shit here, Kisa.”

She scowled at him. “Where else was I going to go, Seth?”

“Anywhere but here. We don’t need any more trouble than we already have.”

“Would you relax, Seth,” chimed in Richie. “It’s better she’s here. We’re gonna need her eventually. They’re gonna come for us, and we’re stronger together.”

“He’s right,” said Kate. “We’re better as a team. We’re all in this together whether we like it or not, so we might as well stick together in case they come back.”

“Oh,” said Al. “They’ll be back. They need these two. And I’m pretty damn sure they’re gonna want you and wonder boy over there.”

“When they do come back,” said Kisa. “We’ll be ready this time. We’ll be ready to fight. And we’ll take them down just like we did Amaru last time.”

“Whatever,” Seth snarled. “I need a drink. For all I know, it could be my last.”

With that, he stormed off in typical Seth fashion and headed straight for the bar. 

Kate sighed then followed him out. She needed to get back to her tables anyway.

The other three remained in the storage area, talking about what happened and the possibilities of what might happen. About twenty minutes later, they joined Seth at the bar.

He was several shots and a half a beer into drowning his problems when the other’s sat beside him. They sat in silence for the most part, but joined him in the drink. It wasn’t long before trouble made it’s way over to their side of the bar. 

Lindsey was behind the bar again, and wasted no time trying to get Richie’s attention. Al rolled her eyes and sighed as she walked over, but that didn’t stop her one bit.

“Hey sugar,” she said rubbing Richie's arm as it sat on the bar top gripping his beer. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“Nothing,” he gritted through clenched teeth. “I’m fine.”

She again ignored everyone else around, and seemed oblivious to his agitation. She flipped her hair back, then tucked a strand behind her ear. She leaned on the bar, exposing her breasts to him. She ran her fingers further up his arm, walking them slowly over his biceps.

“You sure? You look awful frustrated,” she said leaning in close. Then nearly whispered in his ear, “I know a few things I can do to get rid of all that tension.”

He pulled back, gave her a distasteful glare and said, “I’m good.”

She looked a little frustrated by his lack of interest, but she didn’t remain frustrated long. 

Whack! Kate slammed her tray down on the bar top between Richie and Seth, startling everyone. 

“I’m gonna need six shots of Patron, a pitcher of Bud, and three glasses for table six,” she said, glaring at the bartender. When she didn’t move fast enough, Kate said in her snottiest voice, “Now, please.”

As Lindsey huffed and begrudgingly turned to get the order ready, Kate turned to face Richie. She smiled at him, then wrapped her arms around his neck, getting real close. She kissed him quickly and tenderly before pulling slightly away and giving him a flirty smile.

“Hey,” she said, biting her lip and staring him in the eyes.

“Hey,” he said back, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. 

Richie kissed her back, this one a little longer than the first. When he pulled away, he left their foreheads touching briefly, as they stared into each other’s eyes seductively. 

Kate moved in for another kiss, saying, “I love you,” as she pulled away.

He smirked back at her, and slid his hand down to gently squeeze her ass. Then said, “I love you too.”

Kate jumped and giggled at the feel of his hand on her rear. Then she ran her hands down his shoulders and down his chest. Then she kissed him one last time, just as Lindsey made it back with the beer. She slammed the pitcher down on the tray.

Kate turned to grab her tray, smiling at the Culebra as she did. Lindsey was giving her a look of pure death, and Kate truly enjoyed it. Then she gave Richie a quick peck on the cheek, grabbed her tray, and was off to her table.

Seth and Kisa’s eyes were huge after watching the display in front of them. Richie just seemed pleased to be getting the attention from Kate. He watched her bounce away back to her table with a giddy grin on his face. She looked over and smiled back at him when she got to her table.

“And now, for your viewing pleasure,” said Al in her best announcer voice. “Kate Fuller claims Richard Gecko as hers in a crowded bar.”

Richie turned to her and gave her a look, “Just shut the fuck up, Al.”

She and Seth chuckled with each other at the look on his face. Kisa remained speechless. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was 2:30 in the morning. Kate was laying in her bed, wide awake. She couldn’t sleep, she had too much on her mind. She thought about Richie lying in the next room and wondered why she was here alone. His solid body and inviting arms were just on the other side of that wall, yet for some reason she chose to come in here by herself. She decided she didn’t like sleeping alone any more. She liked the feeling of him next to her.

She got up and headed for the door. He was most likely still awake, so she decided she was going to go to him. She wasn’t looking for sex of any kind, it wasn’t that that was keeping her awake. She wanted to be next to him, to feel him, to smell him. While he always felt safe to her, he somehow became her security blanket over the last week. She needed him wrapped around her. 

She knocked on his door lightly, she knew he would hear it. A few seconds later he opened the door. He looked comfy with his tousled hair, in his PJ bottoms and nothing else.

His bedside lamp was on, and she could see the book he was reading open upside down on his nightstand. 

“Kate?” He asked in surprise.

“Do you mind if I sleep in here tonight?” She asked shyly.

“Of course not,” said Richie, opening the door all the way to her. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” said Kate. “I just couldn’t sleep and decided I didn’t want to be alone tonight. I’m not bothering you am I?”

“You could never bother me, Kate,” he said, ushering her in.

She slipped into the unused side of his bed as he closed the door behind her. Then he headed back to his side of the bed. He closed his book, placing the bookmark in it’s new place, and he turned to her. She was already facing him. 

Richie smiled at her, tucking her hair behind her ear gently. She was beautiful to him. He still couldn’t believe that this was real. That she loved him, that she wanted him. He didn’t deserve her, but he wasn’t about to give her up. Kate was everything he ever wanted in a woman, and he would do anything to keep her by his side.

He was glad that she came to him. He had spent quite a bit of time contemplating going to her tonight. It seemed that he didn’t want to sleep alone anymore either. He spent practically all of his nights in his thirty years without a woman by his side, but since he shared her bed on his birthday, he craved the company of her by his side. Her warmth, her scent. It was like a drug to him, and he needed her there. He loved the way she felt, wrapped in his arms. It was like she belonged there.

“Will you hold me, Richie,” she pouted.

“Yeah,” he said with a small smile. “Come here.”

She snuggled up to him, turning around and putting her back to his chest. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her even closer.

“You’re not mad that I just want to lay here with you, are you?” She asked, uncertain.

“Kate,” he said kissing her jaw. “I love you. It doesn’t matter to me what we’re doing, as long as you’re here.”

She smiled to herself. She felt the same. Just being around him was enough. 

They laid there quietly holding each other for awhile. He placed soft kisses on her neck and shoulder every so often. He wasn’t trying to be sexual, and she knew that. He just couldn’t help kissing her when she was this close, and she liked it anyway. It made her feel appreciated and loved.

“This is nice, Richie,” she whispered.

“Mmmhmm,” he said kissing her shoulder.

“Can we do this every night? I don’t think I want to sleep without you any more.”

“I would love to do this every night, Kate,” he said, pulling her even tighter against him. 

He reached his hand out in front of her, stretching it wide and wiggling his fingers. She grabbed his hand, and he squeezed her little hand tight in his. He nuzzled her neck and breathed “I love you,” into her hair.

“I love you too, Richie,” she whispered back. 

They laid there quietly, tight against each other and holding hands, slowly drifting off to sleep.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a little after noon, and Kate was sitting in their small, private kitchen drinking coffee and eating toast with jam. Kisa walked in and joined her at the little kitchenette. 

“You’re up early,” mused Kate. “Richie was still sleeping last time I checked, and he’s usually up before you.”

“Richard refuses to give up his human nature,” said Kisa in response. “That is why he still wears those glasses. He has perfect vision, you know.”

“I know,” she said. “But I like him better in them, so I’m not complaining. Plus I think he was just so used to them, they became part of who he is. He feels naked without them.”

“Human nature,” said Kisa, shaking her head with a smirk.

“There’s plenty more coffee if you want some,” said Kate, gesturing at the pot across the room.

Kisa got up, and poured herself a cup. She added no sugar, and only the smallest amount a cream. It was completely different from Kate’s, which had plenty of both. 

The two women sat at the kitchenette in silence, drinking their coffee. Kate was reading something on her Kindle, while Kisa texted Marisol. It was hard for her to be away from her girlfriend. They had been together for almost two years, but it wasn’t safe to be around her now. That didn’t mean they wouldn’t talk every day. She needed to know she was safe.

“Is that Marisol you keep textin’?” Asked Kate.

“Yes.”

“Tell her I say ‘hi’.”

She nodded then sent a text. The phone vibrated again and she looked at Kate, “She says ‘Buenos dias, Kate’.” The phone buzzed again and Kisa chuckled. “She asked me to ask you about Richard.”

“What about him?” Kate asked in confusion. “I think he’s doing just fine.”

“She is just as curious as I am about your situation. We saw you two at Scott’s show, and were wondering how things were progressing.”

Kate turned bright red and her eyes sprung open.

“You are with him now, no? Seeing you two last night made me pretty sure that you were.”

“Yes I am,” said Kate in defiance. “You have a problem with that?”

“No Kate,” said Kisa. “Of course not. I think you two would be good for each other. That’s what I was trying to tell you at his birthday party.”

“Oh,” said Kate, blushing again.

“He’s always loved you Kate, even if he wasn’t aware of it. You were always on his mind, I saw it every time we shared blood. Truth be told, it bothered me at the time. Here I was making love to him, and you were always in the back of his mind. It was one of the reasons we would never have worked out.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It isn’t your fault Kate. It isn’t his either. He never mentioned you, he always was attentive and sweet to me, he just couldn’t help himself from also wondering about you. Where you were? Were you okay? Did you hate him for what he did? He thought about how you kissed him in the Twister, and why you did it to begin with. He thought about when he first saw you at the pool. He missed you, and he didn’t understand why. And as soon as I realized he loved you and not me, things changed between us. Not that I didn’t want him, not that he didn’t want me. It just wasn’t going to work and it put a strain on us.”

“Well, not to be a bitch,” said Kate. “But eventually he figured out you were using him, and I’m sure that also put a strain on things too. You used him to get back at Malvado. And you put him through Hell to get him there. He thought he was losing his mind, Kisa.”

I know,” she said with a small frown. “Now. It was never my intention to use him. I needed Richard, that is true, but I thought I could love him. He was in my head as long as I was in his. I knew his darkest thoughts and memories, his dreams, his fears. I grew to love him before I even knew it was happening. When we were finally together the feeling was stronger, and I thought he felt the same. I still believe he thought he loved me too. It just wasn’t meant to be. I was broken, and selfish, and the time was not right. It doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt when he chose money and power over me.”

“He did everything for you,” yelled Kate. “He risked his life for you. Did all that you asked of him, even betray his uncle’s trust. Yet you still treated him like dirt, when you say he was good to you. And you’re mad he didn’t chose you?”

“Not everything, Kate. I asked him to help me destroy the operation, not take it. It proved to me I wasn’t enough for him, and yes that made me angry,” She paused. “Yes, it is true he did many things for me though. And yes, it was because he cared. His caring nature was one of the things I fell in love with in the beginning. He is selfless when he cares for someone. Like Seth, like you. I may have been mad at him for not choosing me in the end, but he did do exactly what I asked him to do. He set me free, even if I was too blinded by anger at the time to see it. He gave me what I always wanted. It took me a long time to see it, but I do now. I will always love him for what he did for me.”

“I just need to know,” said Kate. “I’ve forgiven you over the years for what happened, and he seems to as well. But do you ever regret the things you did to him? The way you treated him? He doesn’t talk much about you two together, but I’ve heard some things from Seth, and I saw what he was going through when we first met. Do you ever regret what you did to all of us that day?”

“Yes,” she said softly. “I never truly had any intention of hurting any of you. That night didn’t go as I planned. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. I wish I didn’t have to torture his mind to get him there, but I needed him. I wish I had given him more of a choice. But as I said, I was selfish, and desperate. After that night, things with me and Richard were good for awhile, but my impatience to get rid of Malvado got in the way. That and his obvious love for a seventeen-year-old girl that he just met.”

Kate blushed at the statement, she was giddy at the thought of Richie loving her from the beginning. That even as beautiful and nearly flawless as Kisa was, Richie always preferred her. She did feel bad for Kisa though. Regardless of the situation, and what she did, it still hurts knowing that someone you love, loves someone more than you. 

Kisa continued, “I was jealous of you, Kate. And because of that, I grew more impatient and distant. I treated him badly, I know now that I did, and that was wrong of me. He was really good to me, even though we had our differences. He deserved better from me. I am sorry for the way I treated him, and sorry you got pulled into the mess.” She laughed then continued. “I was so jealous of you for so long. I couldn’t figure out why my love for him wasn’t enough. Why I wasn’t enough. Then it hit me one day, after I met Marisol. Sometimes it’s not about not being enough for someone else. You just can’t compete with true love, and that is what Richard has for you. It didn’t matter what I did, I was never going to be you. I can’t be mad at him for that, he wasn’t trying to hurt me. But now, I understand completely. I have Marisol, and I could not picture life without her. She is my everything, as you are Richard’s everything.”

Just then the door burst open. Al ran through with a huge smile on her face.

“Do I smell coffee?” She said, heading directly for the pot. “Hope you guys don’t mind, but I really need some of this right now.”

“Help yourself,” said Kate. “There’s plenty.”

She poured herself a full cup, with both cream and sugar. Then she headed to the table to sit next to Kate and Kisa. She took a sip, and sighed.

“Hope you ladies didn’t have plans. I kind of made plans for the three of us this afternoon.”

“What kind of plans?” Asked Kate, skeptically.

“The kind that involves lunch and relaxation,” she smiled. “I booked us a spa day.”

“The world may be ending,” said Kisa in astonishment. “And you think it’s a good time to go to a spa?”

“The best time,” smiled Al. “The thought of imminent death and destruction is taxing on the human soul, and a little retreat from it can do wonders. We can take a beat to get back into a good headspace. Then hopefully be ready for what’s next to come.” She took another sip of coffee. “So finish up your coffee’s ladies. We leave in thirty. A delicious lunch, massages, facials, and mani pedis await us. My treat.”

Kate shrugged. “Sounds good to me. I’ve never done a spa day before.”

“Then you’re in for a real treat, m’ lady. After this you’ll feel so good, you’re probably gonna have to add monthly trips to the spa on the Gecko’s tab,” she winked. “I’m sure Richie wouldn’t mind footing the bill.”

Kate smiled, knowing that Al was probably right. If it made her happy, Richie would do anything she asked. Even paying a ridiculous amount to pamper her with monthly spa visits. She just wondered why she never thought of it before.


	10. The Big Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie takes time out of their hectic situation to take Kate on a proper date. This is kind of fluffy, but also a bit smutty. Yes, it can be both.
> 
> Tidbit: Kate walked back to her room. The day at the spa was amazing. She felt rejuvenated and tingly all over. It was a nice surprise from Al, but there was one more even bigger surprise waiting for her just inside her bedroom door.

Kate walked back to her room. The day at the spa was amazing. She felt rejuvenated and tingly all over. It was a nice surprise from Al, but there was one more even bigger surprise waiting for her just inside her bedroom door.

There was a simple, yet elegant, glass vase with a dozen white roses, and a card leaning against it. There was also a navy blue cocktail dress hanging on the closet door next to the dresser. It was stunning.

Kate smiled as she picked up the antique white card sealed with red wax. She popped it open, and there was a handwritten letter in it.

Kate,

You are the sun to my moon. The light in my night sky. The keeper of my soul. And the one who holds my heart. When I found you I found a love I never thought existed, and you have since found parts of me that I thought had long since died. You are my one and only. The first thought I have in the morning, the last thought I have before I fall asleep at night, and almost every thought in between. I may have died the day I met you, but loving you has made me feel more alive than I ever felt before. My only desire in life is to make you happy, and let you know every day how special you are to me. I know there is no way for me to truly express how much you mean to me, but I will try in every way I can. For starters, you deserve a proper date. Would you do me the honor of dining with me tonight? Please meet me in the foyer at nine. I may not be able to give you the moon, but I can certainly dance with you under the stars.  
P.S.  
I hope you like the dress.  
-Richard

 

She held the note to her heart, and bit her lower lip. Nobody had ever asked her out on a real date before, and certainly not like that. Her heart fluttered, and she couldn’t stop smiling. Who would have thought Richard Gecko had a romantic side? She was going to keep this letter for the rest of her days.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate was putting on the finishing touches before she headed out to meet Richie. She already put the dress on, it fit perfectly. It was a dark, navy blue, A-line, Chiffon, cocktail dress that cut off right above the knee. The short sleeves were sheer, and embroidered with silver beads.The French manicure she got earlier looked fantastic with the dress, and she knew what shoes would go with it too.

Six months ago, she and Richie were casing a jewelry store in a high end mall in San Antonio when Kate noticed a pair of silver Jimmy Choo’s in a shoe store window. She made a comment on how beautiful they were, and two days later, the shoes were sitting on her bed when she got out of the shower. They would look perfect with the dress. 

She even had the perfect jewelry to complete the ensemble. They brother’s tag-teamed her for Christmas last year. Richie bought her a silver and diamond drop necklace from Tiffany’s, while Seth bought her the matching earrings, and a beautiful, silver, hanging heart bracelet. She suddenly felt the love looking at her complete outfit, made entirely of gifts from the ever doting Gecko’s. They spoiled her.

She was giving herself a once over, making sure her hair and makeup looked perfect. She concluded that all she needed was a fresh layer of lip gloss, and she would be ready to go.

Kate was nervous as she left her room. She wasn’t really sure why, she’s lived with Richie for over two years now. They spent at least part of every day together and ate most of their meals together too. She’s even slept next to him the last few nights after doing certain things she would only do with someone special. Hell, he’s taken her out to eat or for dessert many times before, although none of those were ever called dates. 

This just seemed so much more serious. Like a turning point in their relationship, making it real. It was a date, an actual date, and that word carried so much more meaning.

Richie nervously paced by the elevator waiting for Kate. He was nervous as all Hell. What if she didn’t show up? What if this wasn’t what she wanted? He hoped he didn’t overstep his bounds. Keep cool, Richard, he thought. This isn’t the first time he went out for dinner with her, but this is the first official date. He wasn’t sure why, but that word made all the difference.

He never really did this kind of thing. Sure he asked girls out before, but they always said no. Which is why he stopped asking in the first place. He didn’t even do things like this with Kisa, and he sure as Hell wasn’t as worried as he is now, when they went out. Kate meant so much more to him. He planned this whole special night for her, and he hoped she liked it. Simple dinner and a movie wasn’t going to cut it when it came to Kate, but he hoped this wasn’t too much.

Kate rounded the corner, and there he was. He looked so handsome in his navy blue, Tom Ford suit, white shirt, and navy blue tie. Even better than he normally did, even with his usual Armani collection which suited him quite well. When she got closer she noticed his diamond embedded, silver tie clip. It looked so much like the diamond necklace and earrings she was wearing. She just had to smile. She just thought it was so cute that he picked out something so he could match her. Like they were going to prom or something.

He stopped pacing when he saw her. His eyes grew wide, and he clearly gulped. She showed up. And she looked perfect, he thought. He couldn’t help but smile as she walked closer.

“Hi, Richie,” she said, shyly.

“Kate,” he said. “You look amazing.”

She blushed, “Thank you. This dress is perfect by the way.”

“You’re perfect. The dress is just trying to get on your level.”

“Richie, stop it,” she giggled. “You’re making me blush.”

“You look cute when you blush. I like it,” he smiled back.

Her cheeks turned an even deeper shade of crimson. 

“Look at you though, Richie,” she said. “You could put any model to shame looking like that.”

It was his turn to blush. “I may not quite be there yet, but I had to at least try to look as good as the stunningly beautiful woman I was taking out tonight.”

He held his arm out to her and she put hers through his. He hit the up button on the elevator, and they made their way up in silence, sneaking looks and shyly smiling at one another. When they reached the top, he walked her outside through the back door. In the distance she could see a light that was not normally there. They walked towards it arm in arm. 

Kate couldn’t believe her eyes. It was so beautiful. He set up a little platform, big enough for a couple to dance, under one of the biggest trees on the property. There was a small, white clothed table under the tree on the platform, with candles in the center. Lanterns were hanging in the tree, and a string of lights were hanging down from a poll to the ground around the open part of the platform. The whole thing had a soft, romantic glow. Soft music was even playing from a hidden speaker somewhere by the tree.

There were two places set at the table, and each place had a plate covered with one of those silver toppers. There were two glasses of ice water as well, and even a bottle of champagne chilling next to the table.

Richie walked Kate to her chair and pulled it out for her. Chivalry is not quite dead yet, thought Kate. The Gecko’s were both true gentlemen to the core.

After he made sure she was situated, Richie made his way to his side of the table. He sat down, unfolded his navy blue, cloth napkin, and placed it on his lap.

“Richie this is beautiful,” she said, doing the same.

“Not as beautiful as you,” he replied. “I hope you like what I have planned for you tonight, Kate. I’ve never really had to plan a date before.”

“No?”

“No,” he laughed nervously.

“Not even with Kisa.”

“No. She wasn’t really big into this kind of stuff.”

“Well you could’ve fooled me,” she giggled. “It really is beautiful.”

He shrugged all shy like, then said, “I wanted to make this special for you, Kate.”

“Well you succeeded, I do feel special. I never thought someone would do all this for me. Thank you.”

“I would do anything for you, Kate.”

“Well,” she smirked. “Not anything. You said you wouldn’t call it making love, remember? Not even for me.”

“Guilty,” he chuckled. “I figured we could start with a salad before the appetizer comes out.”

“Comes out? Are we being served?”

“Yeah. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, not at all. This is so fancy.”

They both smiled at each other as they took the toppers off their salads. They were Caesar salads, which Kate loved. They didn’t talk much as they ate them, they were both still kind of nervous. Kate was listening to the music that was playing in the background, it was, The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra.

Just as they were about to finish their salads, Peaches walked over holding a tray. She winked at Kate and gave her a big smile. Then she presented them with the hors d’oeuvres, individual crab cakes. Another one of Kate’s favorites. She placed one in front of each of them, and cleared their salad plates before turning to leave.

“You got Peaches to serve us tonight?” Kate asked with a smile.

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “She offered actually. When she heard me talking about it with Seth she begged me to let her help out.”

They were halfway through their crab cakes before anyone said anything else.

“I’m sorry we did this backwards,” laughed Richie, nervously.

“What do you mean?” Asked Kate.

“I should have taken you on date first. A real date. You know, before we. . . did anything.”

She blushed, “It’s okay. I’m just glad we’re doing this now.”

“Me too.” He paused then asked, “Do you want some champagne?”

“Yes please,” she replied, then giggled. “I hope they don’t card here. I’m only twenty.”

“Only for another six and a half months,” he chuckled back, then winked. “Plus, I know the owner.”

He got up to uncork the champagne, making sure to point the cork in a different direction just in case. He poured Kate a glass, then poured one for himself before sitting back across from her. They clinked their glasses together in a toast to their first official date.

Peaches was heading to the table holding a big tray. She set it down on the tray holder she brought with her. She cleared their empty crab cake plates, then set down the main course. She pulled the silver toppers off both big bowls in unison, and said “Bon appetit” as she left.

When Kate saw what was sitting in front of her she freaked.

“Oh my God, Richie! Is this what I think it is?”

“Yep,” he replied with a smirk.

“You didn’t?! It’s the seafood linguine from Lasandro’s! It’s my absolute favorite!”

“I know,” he smiled. “That’s why I got it.”

She squealed while looking down at the bowl of deliciousness in front of her. Shrimp, clams, scallops, mussels, lobster, and pasta all tossed in the richest, creamiest, most amazing sauce she ever tasted. She got it every time they went to Lasandro’s, which she made them do quite often.

They made small talk all the way through the main course, telling jokes, sharing stories, and laughing. Everything was going perfectly. The stars were beautiful, the food was great, and the conversation was even better. The nervousness they both shared at the beginning of the night was starting to fade away, and the ease in which they normally acted with each other was coming out in full force. 

Richie was pouring the last of the champagne as Peaches came by one more time. She was smiling ear to ear at the site of them enjoying themselves. She had another bottle of champagne ready to go. She also had one more silver toppered plate on her tray.

She cleared the bowls from dinner and put the small dessert plate in the center of the table with two new forks. She topped off both their glasses with champagne. Then gave Richie a wink before she parted.

Richie took off the topper this time, and revealed a large piece of turtle cheesecake. It looked absolutely scrumptious. They dug in, keeping the conversation going.

When they were finished with the cheesecake, they continued talking. Conversation was flowing easily now. Then the song changed and Richie stood up. He held his hand out to Kate. She took it, and they made their way to the center of the platform. They started swaying to the beat of Eric Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight.

He held her close, and she rested her head on his shoulder. He spun her around and then pulled her back close. He was an oddly good slow dancer. Then Kate remembered a conversation with Seth she had not that long ago.

“Richie?” She asked.

“Hmmm?”

“You remember my birthday last year?”

“When we took you swing dancing?”

“Yeah.”

“What about it?”

“Did you eat that guy who pinched my ass?”

He chuckled. “Yes.”

“Why? Please tell me it wasn’t to be a better swing dancer?”

“Well that was just one of the perks. It was mostly because he touched you. Nobody touches my girl’s ass and lives,” he smirked, then lowered his hands and squeezed. “Besides me.”

“Richie,” she blushed, then asked a little more seriously, “You didn’t eat someone to be a better slow dancer, did you?”

“What?” He laughed. “No.”

“Then how did you get so good at it? I mean, no offense, but generally you have no rhythm.”

“Ouch,” he said. “But I see your point. I actually learned when I was in high school.”

“Why slow dancing?”

“Well, Uncle Eddie had this girlfriend for awhile. From when I was in seventh grade until I was a junior in high school. She taught me.”

“Why?” Asked Kate.

“She said all men should know how to slow dance. That way they didn’t look like idiots when they took a girl out.”

“Did she teach Seth too?”

“Not really. He wasn’t into it. Plus he had more friends than I did, and had more plans. I spent most weekends alone at home, unless he brought me with him. So she had plenty of time to force me into lessons.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, Richie. That’s awful that you spent your weekends by yourself.”

“It wasn’t that bad. I’ve always been kind of antisocial. Plus now I don’t look like an idiot when I’m trying to impress you.”

He smiled down at her, and she leaned up to kiss him. She loved this man. And this night was just perfect.

The song changed to Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis, and Richie spun her around again. They danced the whole song without talking. She just rested her head on his shoulder, and followed his steps. He kissed the top of her head as the song ended, and she smiled against his chest. 

They continued to dance like that for a few more songs, close and passionate. No words were spoken, but they both could feel that special feeling in the air. It felt electric, and both were completely and utterly content to be in the arms of the other. It was as if they found where they both belonged.

The song changed again and this time it was This I Promise You by N’Sync. It made Kate Laugh. She looked up at him and asked, “Did you pick the music, Richie?”

“No,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I let Seth and Al handle that.”

“I knew this didn’t sound like something you’d pick,” she giggled. 

“No, I wouldn’t,” he laughed. “It could be worse though, knowing those two.”

He spoke too soon, as the next song was Freak Me by Silk.

“Oh boy,” he said upon hearing the first few lines of the song.

“Oh my God,” laughed Kate.

“I should have known they were up to something when they volunteered. They kept smiling at one another. This is totally on me.”

“How much do you wanna bet this was her choice?” Kate chuckled. 

“Oh, there’s no doubt,” he smiled. “You had enough?”

“Yes.”

“Should I turn it off?”

“Yes please.”

He grabbed the remote and turned off the music a few lines into Next’s Too Close. Another clear Alessandra choice. 

“They are such pervs,” laughed Kate. “I can see them cracking up as they picked these, thinking they’re just so funny.”

“Yeah,” he said. “You and me both. I guess I learned my lesson. Next time they will not be picking the music.”

“There’s gonna be a next time?” Asked Kate, smiling ear to ear.

“I was hoping so,” he said, giving a shy smile.

He took his jacket off, and placed it over his chair, then took Kate by the hand, and spun her around one more time. Then he dipped her, which got a surprised squeal from her. He kissed her as he brought her back up. Then he walked her off to the side where he had a blanket and some pillows set up. He sat down and pulled her with. He used the same remote he used to turn off the music, to dim the lights. 

He laid his head on one of the pillows, and Kate snuggled up to him, resting her head on his chest. She was running her hand across his chest as he gently rubbed his thumb up and down her shoulder. It was peaceful, just laying under the stars together. Then he started doing a very typical Richie thing, talking. He was pointing out different constellations to her, and explaining how they got their names and the stories behind them. She loved listening to him talk about things he was really interested in. There was a certain tone in his voice when he got excited about something that just made her smile. 

“You know, up until recently, I never found the constellation Draco that interesting. It’s not very bright, but it’s just north of Hercules over there. It’s supposed to be a dragon, but it looks like a snake to me. The interesting thing is that in October a meteor shower radiates form it’s head. Kind of like fire coming from it’s. . .”

She leaned up to kiss him mid sentence. 

“Sorry,” he said. “I’ll shut up if you want.” 

“No, Richie,” said Kate. “I didn’t do that to get you to stop talking. I just had the sudden urge to kiss you. I like listening to you talk about things like this.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You’re so cute when you get excited about stuff like this.”

“I don’t know how I feel about being cute,” he said with a quizzical brow.

Kate giggled. “Well you are. Just tell me more, Richie.”

“What do you want to know about?”

“I know it’s astrology and not astronomy, but what do you know about the zodiac signs?”

“Plenty. Although I don’t believe in that stuff.”

“Tell me anyway.”

“Okay. Well, do you see that bright star right there? It’s called Spica. It’s the brightest star in Virgo. It’s the largest of the zodiac constellations.”

“What’s your sign, Richie?”

“Me? Well I’m a Gemini. So is Seth.”

“Where is that?”

“Oh. It can’t be seen right now.”

“Oh,” said Kate. “What about mine? Sagittarius. Where’s that?”

“That’s not visible now either.”

“Hmmm,” she pondered.

They sat there quietly again, just relaxing under the stars on a beautiful night. Then Kate had a thought. 

“Isn’t the sign for Gemini twins?”

“Yep.”

“That’s weird. Don’t you think?”

“I don’t know. Why?”

“Well you said both you and Seth are Gemini’s. Isn’t it weird that both of your signs are the twins, when Carlos picked you two to enter the labyrinth because you are supposedly the Hero Twins? Coincidence?”

“I never thought about it like that,” he said. “But I guess it is a bit odd.” 

Kate looked up at him then, and he had this puzzled look on his face. “What?”

“Well, now that I’m thinking about the twins, the ones Gemini is named after, it’s kinda weird too. They had different dads you know. Castor was the son of a human king, and Pollux was the son of Zeus. That means Castor was mortal, and Pollux was immortal. In a weird way, that’s kind of like me and Seth too. Minus the different dads thing.”

“That is weird,” she said, leaning up to kiss Richie on the tip of his nose.

“What was that for?” Asked Richie.

“I’m just having such a good time tonight,” she smiled. “Even if you and Seth are some weird, prophesied, mystical twins from several ancient religions, I’m glad I know you. This is a really great date, Richie.”

“Really? I’m not boring you with my history lesson?” He asked in surprise. “You’re really having a good time?”

“Of course I am, silly. Aren’t you?"

“As far as I can tell, I’m having the perfect night with the perfect girl.”

She smiled up at him, then bit her lip. “Well as far as I can tell, there’s only one more thing that could make this more perfect.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

She kissed him again, but more fiercely. 

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said climbing on top of him and running her hands down his chest. “Maybe a little one on one action.”

He smiled up at her. “I think you’re right. That would make this even more perfect.” 

She leaned down and kissed him again. They were full on making out, and she frantically ran her fingers through his hair. She could feel him growing under her and she ground down against him, earning her a rough grunt. He nipped at her lower lip as she pulled away to smile at him. She reached down and rubbed him with her hand, giving him the dirtiest smile she ever gave. His eyes rolled back and he gave a quick moan. She went back to kissing him with the utmost intensity. 

At first his hands ran up and down her back, but now those hands found their way under her dress and ran up her thighs. She moaned as his hands grabbed her ass, kneading it softly. Oh the things he could do with those magic hands. Just the thought was making her wet.

She pulled away from his lips, and biting her own lip, asked, “Richie, will you do it for me?”

“Do what?” He asked.

“You know,” she said shyly.

He gave her an evil grin, “I don’t know, Kate. You’re gonna have to be more specific.”

“Richie,” she pouted.

“Tell me what you want, baby,” he cooed, running his hands up the sides of her body and cupping her breasts.

She moaned as he squeezed them through the thin material of her dress. He felt so good.

“I want you to eat me out, Richie,” she said, all the need pouring into her words.

He gave her the most erotic smile, like he truly enjoyed hearing her say those words, “With pleasure.”

He sat up and kissed her, forcefully. They moaned into each other’s mouths as the kiss grew. They both needed it.

Richie leaned Kate down on one of the pillows. He took the other one and put it under her ass, raising her up ever so slightly.

He knelt above her, putting his knees between her legs. He kissed her neck and shoulder, and nibbled at her ear. He made his way down her body, kissing along her collarbone as he massaged one of her breasts. He switched breasts as he kissed along the other side of her collarbone.

When his lips made it to the top of her breasts, his roaming hand made it between her legs, touching her through her panties. They were soaked through, and he chuckled as he felt it, knowing he was the one to cause such a reaction.

He kissed down her belly through the navy blue dress. He wanted her to leave it on. He simply scrunched it up over her hips as he made it between her legs. He made quick work of her panties, shoving them in his back pocket while making a comment about not losing them out here. Kate couldn’t decide if he was truly being a gentleman trying to protect her innocence from the prying eyes of their coworkers, or simply being a perv and wanting to keep them for later. She really didn’t care at the moment though.

Richie was on his stomach now, his arms under her ass, lifting her more. He had tossed her legs over his shoulders, and was kissing her clit gently. It felt amazing. He slowly started licking her, almost as if he was french kissing her clit. 

He started giving her long licks from bottom to top, but focused mostly on her clit this time. He licked and sucked it over and over, sending waves of pleasure through Kate and making her moan his name. 

She moved her hand to his head, pulling lightly at his hair. He stared up at her with lustful eyes when she did. He moved one of his hands to her breast and squeezed. He pulled the fabric of the dress down, revealing her full breast. Richie took her nipple between his finger and thumb and rolled it between them. A new sensation to Kate, and it was overpowering.

“Mmmmm, Richie,” she moaned. “That feels so good. Yes.”

She grabbed her other breast and did the same to herself. His eyes widened at the sight of her playing with her own tits, and he moaned his satisfaction into her clit, sending vibrations through her. She loved when he did that. 

She felt herself getting close, “Oh God, Richie. Don't stop. It feels so good.”

He never hesitated in his ministrations, keeping it going until she came, hard, moaning his name. She bucked against his face out of instinct. But he didn’t stop when she started coming down. Instead he licked and sucked harder and faster.

He slipped his tongue into her, getting as deep as he could. It made her toes curl. He lapped at her with a furry, licking her up and down, circling her clit before heading back down to her sopping wet hole. He stuck his tongue in again and repeated his actions. It was driving her insane. 

Kate pumped at his face and tugged at his hair, she couldn’t help herself. The feeling he was giving her was overwhelming. Richie was relentless, licking faster with each pass. It wasn’t long before Kate was screaming his name. Moaning and whining over and over as wave after wave of sheer pleasure shook her to the core. The feeling was so intense the second time around, she couldn’t control herself. 

He continued lapping at her, slower though, drinking her up. She came down from her high, panting. Richie finally pulled away, licked his lips, then wiped his face with the back of his hand. He plopped down next to her, leaning on his elbow, watching her try to catch her breath. He had that smug smile on her face that Kate was really starting to enjoy.

She smiled back him, then asked, “Is it weird that I like that you keep your glasses on when you do that?”

He chuckled, “No. We all have our things.”

“You just look so sexy in them. Especially when you look up at me like that.”

He chuckled again, “I’ll try to remember that.”

“Kiss me,” she panted.

He obliged as she knew he would. She parted his lips with hers and let his tongue dart into her mouth. He may be good with his hands, but he was even better with his tongue. Kate kind of felt like she hit the jackpot. Would he make it three for three when she finally let him inside? She wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold out.

He broke the kiss, and just looked down at her, smiling. She figured he probably was thinking the same thing. She knew he wanted to, but also knew he wouldn’t push. Richie was so sweet and so good to her, it made her wonder how she got so lucky. She was absolutely, positively in love with Richard Gecko. And she knew he loved her back with the same veracity. She knew he was the only one for her, and someday soon she was finally going to him get all the way. He would be her first, and that was a huge step for her, but with him she was just about ready to take it.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie gave Kate a quick kiss then headed back to the table. He took his jacket off the back of his chair and dug into the inside breast pocket. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and pulled one out. He put it to his lips, and went to put the pack away.

“Aren’t you gonna ask if I want one?” Asked Kate, still laying on the blanket behind him.

“You gonna inhale this time?” He retorted, as he walked over to her to hand her the pack.

“Maybe,” she smirked as she grabbed a cigarette.

He smiled and shook his head while pulling his silver Zippo from his pants pocket. He lit hers then his before replacing the pack in his pocket, and bringing the jacket back to the chair. He sat in it, taking a long drag, as he looked at Kate, still not inhaling. It made him chuckle.

“I don’t know why you insist on smoking if you’re not going to inhale,” he smirked.

“Maybe I just want to look cool in front of my boyfriend,” she said getting up and sauntering over to him.

“Your boyfriend?” He asked, raising his brows.

“Well this is a date,” she said sitting on his lap, straddling him. “And after what you just did, you better be my boyfriend.”

He laughed. “Well then I guess that makes you my girlfriend, huh?”

“Yep,” she said, kissing his cheek.

He shrugged. “I guess I could get used to that.”

“You better. You have no choice. You’re mine now, Richard Gecko.”

He chuckled again, the rumble shook through her. She could feel him still hard against her thigh, so she ground down a bit, rubbing against him. He grunted at the friction, cigarette hanging from the side of his mouth.

“Well,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I guess it’s your turn, boyfriend of mine.”

He exhaled a big puff of smoke. “You know you don’t have to, right? I like doin’ you, that doesn’t mean I always expect something in return.”

“I know. But did you ever think that maybe I want to?” she whispered against his ear, nibbling at the lobe. She literally felt his dick twitch under her. “And I think someone else wants me to as well. I think he feels left out.”

He squirmed and made a noise deep in his throat as she slowly rubbed his length through his pants. She liked the feel of him this way, how firm he felt in her hand when there was still that little barrier between them.

He flicked what was left of his cigarette off to the side, and kissed her deep. Even though he tasted like cigarettes at the moment, Kate couldn’t help but enjoy the feel of his tongue massaging hers. She dropped her cigarette behind him to have both hands free to roam, one to keep rubbing him and the other to run through his no longer in place hair. 

She broke the kiss and slid from his lap. She parted his long legs, and dropped to her knees between them. She unzipped him and removed his now fully hard cock from the confines of his fitted slacks.

She stroked him up and down before moving her head closer to kiss the tip. Be bucked in surprise at the sensation.

“Kate,” he breathed.

“I want to, Richie,” she said, looking him in the eyes.

He just nodded his head and watched her. She licked him from tip to base then back up, and he moaned and tilted his head back. God she felt fucking good, he thought. He couldn’t believe that his innocent, church girl, Kate was about to suck him off.

She licked him up and down a few more times, then stopped, contemplating how to go about this. She had never done this before, and didn’t want to do it wrong.

He grabbed her chin with his long fingers and tilted her head up to his. “What’s wrong, Katie.”

“I’ve never done this before and I want to do it right. I want you to like it.”

“Well,” he smirked, “If you’re planning on putting my dick in your mouth, there’s almost no way I’m not going to like it.”

“Key word, almost,” she said.

“Pretty much just don’t bite it,” he chuckled. “Plus you’re off to a good start. I’m already enjoying this.”

She blushed. “I just want to be as good for you as you are for me.”

“Relax, Katie,” he said stroking her cheek. “You’ll do fine. Just relax and remember this. Don’t try to take it all in, you don’t need to. Don’t do more than you’re comfortable with just because you think it’s what I want. What I want more than anything is to watch you enjoy it.”

“Richie. . .” she started.

“Show me how much you want my cock, Kate. And I swear I’m gonna fuckin’ like it.”

She could hear the intensity in his husky voice, the need. He was turned on just by the thought of her going down on him. That gave her all the confidence she needed, and she rubbed him again before going back to licking and kissing him.

His hand moved to the back of her head, but not in a pushy way. It was just there, his long fingers running through her hair. He was making little noises and panting by the time she took him fully in her mouth.

“Fuck,” he exhaled as she circled his tip with her tongue.

She bobbed up and down, following his instructions to only take what she was comfortable with. She used her hand to make up the difference. 

She watched him as he alternated between closing his eyes and tilting his head back, and watching his dick disappear in her mouth. He was biting his lip and moaning, and she was enjoying getting those reactions from him.

After a bit, her jaw started to hurt, but she wasn’t ready to stop. She plopped him from her mouth to give her jaw a break, but continued to work him with her hand. She licked him like a lollipop, circling around his tip. Then gave his shaft a solid licking as well. On the way back up from the bottom, she decided to focus on the underside this time. When she made it to the top this time, she flicked her tongue over that sensitive spot just under the head. He bucked and his eyes shot open.

“Fuck, Kate,” he panted.

“You like that?” She asked as she continued to pump him with her hand.

“Mmm. Fuck yeah.” He moaned as she did it again. “That’s right, baby. Just like that.”

She continued to alternate between sucking him and licking him. Making sure to hit that spot every time. She saw precum forming on the way back up, and plopped him back in her mouth to suck it right off. He tasted as good as he did the first time.

“Mmmm. You like sucking my cock, Kate?”

She looked him in the eyes and nodded with him still in her mouth, moaning a mmhmm around him.

“You like how my cock feels in your mouth?”

“Mmmmm,” she moaned as she removed said cock from her mouth. “I love your cock, Richie.”

He loved it when she talked like that. The words always sounded so much dirtier when she said them.

“You want more, baby?” He asked in a rough voice.

“Yes,” she breathed along him, while kissing him from tip to base. She licked him all the way back up, making sure to hit that special spot one more time before taking him back fully into her mouth. She bobbed up and down faster this time, working her hand in unison. 

She remembered her friend Jessica telling her that guys liked when you played with their balls, so she used her free hand to gently squeeze and rub his. This earned her a sharp intake of breath followed by a deep, throaty moan.

He started rocking his hips towards her face, telling Kate he was getting close. His moaning and grunting became more frequent as his breathing quickened. He was a pretty vocal lover. He made a sorts of little noises when he liked certain things, and sometimes even told her what he liked, in between all the fuck’s and shit’s and breathing her name. Kate really liked it, she found it exciting.

She could taste more of his pre-cum on her tongue and she wanted more, all of it. She liked the taste of him.

Kate was sopping wet. She was enjoying this more than she thought would. Watching him squirm, the feel of him filling her mouth, the noises he was making, his tugging on her hair, and the way he was panting her name, it was all so unbelievably hot. She moaned around him, she couldn’t help herself, the feeling was so intense.

“Shit, Kate,” he panted. “Fuuuuck.”

The look on his face as he watched her enjoy the feeling of him, was getting her off. His grip tightened in her hair, and she moaned again.

“Ahhh fuck, Kate,” he moaned again. “I’m gonna cum, baby.”

She grinned around his cock and quickened her pace, moaning again as he pumped faster into her waiting mouth. It was too much for him, the way she was looking at him, the vibrations of her moaning around him, fuck, the look of pure joy on her face. He exploded in her mouth with a loud “Fuck”, and she did her best to guzzle him down. 

She pulled away after the first couple spurts, keeping her mouth open so he could watch the next one squirt onto her tongue. Fuck it was hot. She swallowed as much as she could, as cum continued to stream from his cock, spurt after spurt.

She gulped him down until he was all out. She gave him one last lick to get every drop. Then she took her thumb, wiped off what was left from her lips and sucked it clean.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Kate,” he said out of breath. “You are unfuckingbelievable.”

It took longer than she thought for him to finish, but Kate enjoyed every second of it. She would definitely be doing that again.

She smiled, then stood up to kiss him. She straddled him again and slammed her tongue into his mouth, and he ate at her face like he was starving, tasting himself on her. God he fucking loved her. He didn’t know what he did to deserve her, and had no idea how he got so lucky. But he was sure as Hell grateful to have her in his life.


	11. Lindsey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When dinner plans get cancelled, a whole lot of Hell breaks loose.
> 
> Tidbit:
> 
>  
> 
> The gang was getting ready to head out for a nice dinner as the bad news was brought to their attention. LuAnne failed to show up for her shift, and nobody could get a hold of her. It was Saturday night and with such short notice, it was going to be impossible to find someone to cover. They couldn’t afford to be short handed on one of the busiest nights of the week, so Kate was going to have to cover for her. Just like that, dinner was off.

Seth was sitting in the passenger side of a maroon, 1933 Cadillac Series 452-C V-16 convertible. The top was down as they cruised down the dimly lit, night time streets of the Chicago suburbs. They were on their way home after a night out on the town. 

It was the summer after prohibition, and the night had included dinner at The Berghoff, served with their finest bottle of wine, followed by a night of dancing to the smooth jazz offered in the newly opened Club DeLisa. It was topped off by the consuming of two very inebriated gangsters as they left the gambling halls of the basement. 

Seth looked over to the driver’s side to see the love of his life, Vincenzo, who looked amazing in his wide-shouldered, double breasted, pinstripe suit, and black on black fedora. He looked back, and smiled, grabbing his hand and holding it tight.

Vincenzo wasn’t much to look at. He was only a few inches taller, chubby, with dark, wavy, receding hair, and thick eyebrows. In a lot of ways, he looked like an older Al Capone. It didn’t matter to Seth, he loved him anyway. They had been together over fifteen years now, and he still treated him with respect. He even treated him to nights out like this often. It showed he truly cared still as well. 

“Did you have fun tonight, gattina?” Vincenzo asked in his heavily accented English.

“It was wonderful, Amore Mio,” Seth said in a happy, feminine voice.

He smiled back at Seth, then leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.

Vincenzo was sitting at his desk in their office, and he looked pissed. Seth was standing in front of him.

“It’s a waste of time, Al,” he said, his lovely accent all but gone. “Just because Benjamin thinks something is going on, it doesn’t mean we have to stick our noses in it.”

“It’s not just Benjamin,” said Seth, in a high pitched voice. “He is the third to call us with these suspicions. I think someone is trying to resurrect the four. They're hunting for the artifacts as we speak.”

“And how do you know that? Huh? Because a couple of oversuspicious fools, unwilling to do anything about it themselves, tell you that you need to be on the lookout?”

“We need to look into this, Vincenzo.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Alessandra! Besides, what are we gonna do about it if they are? Stop them?”

“Yes!” Yelled Seth back at him.

“And how do you expect to do that?”

“I don’t know! But we need to try.”

He grumbled something in Italian under his breath. Then said, “Fine. I will help you look into this.”

Seth wakes up suddenly, shaking off what just happened. What the fuck was happening to him?

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The gang was getting ready to head out for a nice dinner as the bad news was brought to their attention. LuAnne failed to show up for her shift, and nobody could get a hold of her. It was Saturday night and with such short notice, it was going to be impossible to find someone to cover. They couldn’t afford to be short handed on one of the busiest nights of the week, so Kate was going to have to cover for her. Just like that, dinner was off.

“You guys just go on ahead without me,” she said as she headed back downstairs to change into something more work appropriate.

“Nah,” said Seth. “Won’t be the same without you.”

“Why don’t we just eat here?” Suggested Alessandra. “At least we can still get a hot meal, and if we sit in Kate’s section she’ll get to stop by often.”

“Agreed,” said Kisa.

The boys shrugged, then headed over to a booth in what would be Kate’s section. It would give her plenty of excuses to stop and chat.

After they were situated, Richie decided to go out back to get in a quick smoke before dinner. Only a few drags into what should have been a little bit of peace and quiet, trouble walked out the back door. He sighed, smoke flowing from his nose, as Lindsey came out to smoke beside him.

“Hey, sugar,” she winked. “Fancy meeting you out here.”

“Look, Lindsey,” he said dryly. “I’m not interested. I’m with Kate now, so I’m done with your little games.”

“I know. And that really pisses me off because I thought we had something, baby.”

“I’m not your baby. And we never had anything.”

“I beg to differ. Things were going just fine until that bitch got in the way.”

Richie stood up and faced her with a sudden anger, “Don’t you ever call her that.”

“Or what? You gonna punish me, Daddy?”

“Fuck off, Lindsey. I said no more games.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Where the fuck is Richie?” Asked Seth. “What’s taking him long? I thought he said a quick smoke.”

“I still can’t believe he smokes,” said Al. “That’s a dumb habit for such a smart man. You would think he would be well aware of all the negatives, and choose not to fall into that trap.”

“It’s not like it’s going to kill him,” said Kisa.

“Now it isn’t,” said Al. “But I’m sure he started that shit before he was a Culebra.”

“He started when he was fifteen,” said Seth, annoyed. “He knows I hate it, always did. Our dad smoked. We used to steal is cigarettes when he fell asleep.”

“Why?” Asked Al.

“I don’t know, we were kids. I think mostly just to get back at the son of a bitch. Nasty fuck died when I was ten though.”

“What does that have to do with Richie smoking?” Asked Kisa. “He hated your father. I wouldn’t think he would do something to be like him.”

“It wasn’t to be like him,” said Seth. “I don’t really know why. He says it helps him with his anxiety. He had a lot of panic attacks as a kid, but he hasn’t had one in years. Also being around girls used to freak him out. He was never good with the ladies. Scared the crap out of most of them.”

“I can see that,” smirked Al. “He can be a little intense.”

“A little?” Asked Seth sarcastically.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate was on her way back up the elevator to the Jacknife dining area. She was kind of bummed about dinner, it was going to be a fun night out as a group. With the exception of yesterday, which was perfect, Kate had a pretty rough week. She was looking forward to a little time away from the Jacknife on a nonbusiness type trip, even if it was just a few hours. 

The door opened and she took an audible breath before stepping out. LuAnne was gonna owe her big time when she saw her next.

A hand shot around the corner and grabbed her around the mouth as another grabbed her waist. At first she thought it might be Richie trying to sneak her away for a little hanky-panky, but the grip was too tight and not playful at all.

She noticed another man approaching from the side, and he looked dangerous. She kicked at the legs of the guy behind her, landing one right in his shin. He huffed and his grip loosened. Kate used this opportunity to try to snake away from her captor. He grabbed her arm just as she started pulling away.

The other man was coming at her with a rag in his hand. Probably soaked in chloroform or something, she thought. 

“Get away from me!” She screamed.

She continued to struggle with both men, being as loud as she could, trying to get someone’s attention over the band playing in the bar.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I don’t know why you keep pretending there was never anything between us,” said Lindsey, filled with sass.

“Because there wasn’t,” said Richie, coldly.

“You know that’s not true.”

“It is true.”

“What the fuck is so good about that stupid, church girl anyway?” She asked angrily. “She’s just some barely legal, prom queen reject. She’s a fucking tease, and I bet she doesn’t even put out. I’m a real woman, and I know what you want.”

“Your just a fucking bartender at my bar,” he spat. “And I’m your boss. So shut the fuck up and go do your job before you’re out of one. Plus you have no fucking clue what I want.”

“Well if it isn’t a real woman, maybe it’s just little girls. Is that it? You like ‘em real young and innocent? I can play high school if you want. Put on my knee-highs and mini, pleated skirt. Shit, I’ll even do pigtails if that gets you going.”

Richie slammed her against the wall, hand against her throat. 

“I said shut the fuck up,” he gritted through clenched teeth.

“Mmmm,” she pouted. “I like it when you get all angry boss man at me. You know that’s how I like it, Daddy.”

“I’m not playing with you,” he threatened.

Just then he heard something. A scuffle inside the building. Someone was screaming, ‘Help me!’ just inside the hall. Then he heard his name, and he would recognize that voice anywhere.

“Kate!” He screamed, letting go of Lindsey. It was Kate, he was sure of it.

He ran for the door, flinging it off the hinges in his rush to get inside. It flew off to the side, landing with a thud in the gravel. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth was regaling the ladies with a story from his glory days. He was in the middle of explaining some stupid shit Richie did that almost fucked up a big job. 

“This stupid fuck was in this weird lemonade phase. Seriously, he drank it all day. Had to piss like every thirty minutes. So we’re waiting in this closet, right, for this guy to leave so we can get the fuck outta there with the watches, and this motherfucker has to pee. Bad. He’s fidgeting and bouncing around, like a kid who refuses to stop playing outside to use the bathroom. This guy won’t fucking leave, and Richie’s getting antsy. He’s making all this fucking noise, right, and I’m sure this guy is gonna hear us. So I jab him in the stomach and give him the signal to shut the fuck up. He tells me he can’t fucking wait anymore. This motherfucker turns around and whips it out. Starts pissing in this guy’s Jordan’s. Guy hears him, and opens the door. Next thing you know. . .”

“Shhh. Hold on,” yelled Alessandra, waving Seth off. She turned to Kisa and asked, “You hear that?”

Both women paused and looked to the ‘Employee’s Only’ door suspiciously. 

Seth looked at them confused. “What?”

“Kate,” said Kisa, jumping from her seat. 

Al was right behind her as they ran for the door. Seth followed closely behind, not sure what was going on, but he heard the name Kate and saw the worry on their faces. He knew it had to be something bad.

By the time they reached the elevator, the hall was empty, but there was clearly blood on the floor.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate was out cold. The men successfully apprehended her, putting the rag to her face and knocking her out before anyone had reached them. They dragged her unconscious body to the garage to make a quick get away.

They got her in the trunk of one of the cars, and were pulling through the open door as the driver side door was pulled from its hinges. The assailants were stunned as a scale faced, and pissed Richie ripped the driver from his seat. 

Richie threw the guy halfway across the garage. He hissed at the other guy as he made his way to him. The guy fumbled with his seat-belt, trying to free the gun at his side.

Richie ripped that door off too, grabbing that guy by the lapels trying to pull him out of the car.

Bang! Richie stumbled back as he was shot in the stomach. He righted himself and headed back for the guy. Bang! Bang! He was shot two more times as he made his way back. Each time stumbling briefly before heading back on course. 

The other guy was just getting back up from where Richie had thrown him. He snarled his Vespertilio fangs as he reached for his gun. A hand shot through his chest. He looked down to see his own heart in the small, bloody hand of Alessandra as he burst into flames.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Click, click click. The guy Richie was dealing with had emptied his gun into him, but was now left defenseless as Richie descended on him. He pulled him from the car by the throat.

Seth, Kisa, and Al raced to the car as Richie sank his fangs into the guy’s shoulder. The guy screamed and thrashed, trying to get Richie off of him. When he pulled back, Richie ripped his head clean off his shoulders, letting the body fall to the ground. The look on his face was savage, as he dropped the head next to the fallen body.

Seth was clearly shocked by what he saw. He had seen many gruesome things done by Richie over the years, including the aftermath of Monica Garza. This was way worse. He stood there, shell shocked, at the sight of his brother covered in blood from nose to belt. Blood dripping from his face, and his white shirt stained with a mixture of the dead assailant’s blood and his own. 

Kisa and Al continued on to the car as Seth stood still. She wasn’t in the cabin, so Kisa ran to the trunk as Al popped it open. Kisa pulled the unconscious Kate from the confines of the trunk. Al ran over to make sure she was okay.

Blood was dripping from a gash on her forehead as Al checked her over.

“She’s breathing,” she declared, as Richie hurried over.

He took her from Kisa’s arms and raced her to her bedroom. Al and Kisa followed, as Seth continued to stand where he was.

“Seth,” yelled Kisa when she realized he wasn’t following. She went back and grabbed him by the arm, shaking him, “Seth.”

He looked her dead in the eyes. She saw the worry on his face.

“Come on,” she soothed. “We have to check up on Kate.”

He turned, unspeaking, and followed Kisa as she pulled him to the elevator.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“What the fuck just happened?” Yelled a thoroughly pissed off Seth as he looked at Kate laying in her bed.

Richie was cleaning the gash on her forehead, still covered in blood himself. It wasn’t that deep, it just needed a bandage.

“Clearly they’re going after Kate now,” said Kisa.

“How the fuck did they get in here?” Seth shouted.

“Probably just like the people who took the chalice,” said Richie. “If it wasn’t the same people to begin with.”

“How could we let this happen?” Asked Seth. “We knew that they would come for one of us. Yet we did nothing to protect ourselves.”

“The real question is was Kate their original target or one of convenience?” Asked Al. “And if she was, how did they know when and where she was going to be?”

“An inside man,” said Richie.

“What?” Asked an annoyed Seth.

“Like the skull keeper,” said Richie. “Someone here is working for them.”

“Like being controlled again? Like those Culebra puppets?”

“I don’t know,” said Richie. “But how else would they know to look in that safe for the chalice? We didn’t even realize it was there. How else would they know if we were here, or Kate’s Schedule?”

“Who?” Asked Kisa.

“You,” said Seth, pointing at Alessandra.

“Me?” She asked, shocked.

“This all started happening after you got here.”

“I’m on your side, asshole. I came here to help.”

“How the fuck do we really know that? Because you said so? We don’t even really know you.”

“He’s right,” said Kisa. “We don’t.”

“Who the fuck are you to judge, you bitch,” spat Al in anger. “If I was here as one of them, why would I keep helping you?”

“To throw us off,” said Seth.

“Please,” she snarled. “I could have killed you all long ago if I wanted. This whole thing could have been over with already if I was the one. Why the fuck would I be hanging around here, when literally everything they need is right here? Does that make any sense? Wouldn’t I have already taken you all to them?”

“Lindsey,” spat Richie.

“What?” Asked Seth, his attention full on his brother now.

“She cornered me outside,” said Richie. “I think she was trying to distract me.”

“She hates Kate,” said Kisa.

“Where the fuck is she right now?” Asked Al. “We can get answers real quick.”

“Fuck if I know,” said Richie, standing up. “But I’m gonna find out. Seth, Kisa, you stay with Kate. Make sure nothing happens to her. You’re coming with me,” he said pointing at Al.

“Why?” She asked. “You don’t trust me around her?”

“Can’t be sure,” he said. “I don’t think you’re the problem, but I’m not taking the chance. Plus I want backup in case she’s got friends.”

Al sighed, “I can respect that.”

They headed out the door together in search of Lindsey.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They found the stupid bitch packing up her car with a duffel bag. She was heading out, probably never coming back. It made them pretty sure she was the one, she must know by now the plan had failed.

“Going somewhere?” Asked Al as they approached.

Lindsey spun around at her voice, looking both startled and defiant. “I can see I’m no longer wanted here.”

“Why?” Asked Al. “Because things didn’t go too smoothly?”

“Well,” she said, looking at Richie. “This piece of shit made it clear that he doesn’t want me around. It’s uncomfortable after you pour your heart and soul to someone and they practically spit in your face.”

“You sure it’s not something else?” She asked.

“No. I’m leaving him to his little whore.”

Richie grabbed her by the neck, shoving her into her car. “You don’t get to talk about her like that.”

“She’s gonna be fine,” said Al with a smirk. “In case you were wondering.”

Lindsey gulped. She struggled around Richie’s grasp, “Why would I be wondering that.”

“Because you’re the one who set her up. Am I right?” Asked Richie.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said giving an obstinate grin.

“I’ll bet you don’t,” said Al, giving her a matching smirk. “But the funny thing is he’s here covered in blood from the waist up, and you haven’t even batted an eye. If you honestly didn’t know what was going on, I think you would have at least mentioned it.”

Lindsey gulped and looked antagonistically at the Vespertilio. Then Al gave Lindsey a quick jab to the face. Her head flew back and hit the car behind her, blood flowing from her nose. Then she slumped to the ground. 

“Got somewhere quiet we can take her?”

“Yep.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie slung Lindsey over his shoulder and carried her through what used to be the back door, to the elevator. They wanted as few eyes on them as possible. He took her down to one one of the lowest levels under the Jacknife, where a bunch of extremely old collections were, and ironically, an interrogation room. Well, it wasn’t technically an interrogation room, but it was small, dark, out of the way, and strangely sound proof. They had no idea what it was used for by Malvado, and thought it was better if it stayed that way.

He threw her on one of the chairs in there, and told Al to stay with her while he got something to hold her down. When he came back, he had rope and handcuffs.

“Do I even want to know what you use those handcuffs for?” Asked Al, as he tired her up.

“Not what you think,” he said. “This isn’t our first rodeo.”

“Fair enough,” she shrugged. “You should get yourself cleaned up before we start. Wouldn’t want Kate to wake up and see you like that. I’ll keep an eye on the prize.”

Richie nodded, then went off to check on Kate quickly before changing. He popped his head in the door and told Seth where Lindsey was, and that he should go keep watch in case Al wasn’t on the up and up. He didn’t think it was an actual problem, but better safe than sorry. Especially when it came to Kate.

“How is she?” He asked Kisa, as Seth left.

“Still out, but her breathing is okay. I think she was drugged. Once it wears off she should be fine.”

He nodded again, “Keep an eye on her for me, please. I’m going to get cleaned up before she wakes up. I don’t want to look like a monster when she sees me.”

“She’s seen a lot from you, Richard. I don’t think she will ever see a monster when she looks at you.”

“Might as well not give her any reason to.”

Richie turned to head back to his room. He grabbed fresh clothes and headed to the bathroom to wash up. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, and was disappointed in what he saw. He did look like a monster, covered in blood from nose to belt. It made him wonder if this is what Kate really deserved. Someone capable of whatever the Hell that was earlier. She was so sweet, so kind, so loving. And he was just the opposite, capable of the most horrific things. Just being around him put her in danger. Hell, even just meeting him to begin with ruined her nearly perfect life.

He loved her though, really loved her. Kate was his world, his reason to keep going. And she said she loved him too. He wanted to make her happy, but could she ever truly be happy with someone like him? She should find a nice, young, human man. One she could grow old with, raise a family with. She would be a great mom, he thought. And he could never give her that, a normal life, a family. Was he just being selfish? Trying to keep her for himself, when he should be pushing her to find true happiness and the life she deserved.

None of that really mattered now though. What was most important was the fact that someone just tried to kidnap her, to hurt her. He needed to find out who, and where so he could stop them. After she was safe, they could have that conversation, but first things first. 

He washed the blood from his face, throwing the towels out, along with his formally white shirt. Not only was that soaked in blood, there were six new bullet holes in it. There was no saving it. The undershirt was a goner too.

Richie finished dressing, put his hair back in place, and took one final look in the mirror. There stood a completely different sight from a moment ago. He looked human, like a person Kate could and deserved to be with. He knew it was only an allusion though. His monster was on the inside, just waiting to come out, but still always present. He sighed as he headed back out the door to check on Kate.

When he entered her room, Kate was awake. Kisa was sitting next to her, holding her hand and explaining what was happening.

“Katie,” Richie sighed with relief as he saw her.

“Richie,” she said, getting up to go to him.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he said, rushing to her. “Don’t get up.”

She sat back down, and Kisa moved out of the way for Richie. The bed sank with his weight as he sat on the edge next to her. He gave her a good looking over before saying anything. He even checked her eyes for any dilation. 

“Follow my finger,” he said, holding one up in front of her eyes.

“Richie,” she laughed. “I’m fine.”

“You took a pretty good hit to the head, Kate. We need to be sure. Now follow my finger.”

She sighed, but did as he asked. 

“How’s your head? Do you have a headache? You feeling dizzy or foggy?”

“No. I feel fine, Richie.”

“Your ears ringing? You nauseous? Any sensitivity to light or sound?”

“No. Richie, I’m telling you I’m fine. Just a little sore.”

“Hmmm. That may be,” he said. “But I’m gonna keep checking on you the next few days. Just in case.”

“Or maybe you could just give me a massage later,” she giggled, nudging him in the butt with her knee.

He chuckled, “That could be arranged.”

Kisa smiled at the sight of them together, but quietly left to give them time alone. She suddenly felt like an intruder.

Kate hunched forwards and pulled Richie to her, wrapping her arms around his neck. She gave him a quick peck on the lips then looked him straight in the eye. “You know I’m going with you.”

“Where?” He asked, confused.

“I’m going to be there when you interrogate Lindsey. You think it’s really her? She’s been working for them this whole time?”

“I think it’s a possibility.”

“I knew there was a reason I hated her.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Kate.”

“I don’t care. I’m going.”

Richie sighed, “Fine. Let’s go.”

He helped Kate out of bed, and they met Kisa out in the hall. The three of them made their way to the interrogation room below.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Al and Seth were standing outside the closed interrogation room door as they approached. Lindsey’s muffled screams of ‘Let me out of here, assholes,’ could just barely be heard.

“Kate,” said Al, with a smile. “You okay?”

She nodded, “I’ll be fine.”

“You ready?” Seth asked Richie.

“Yep.”

“You sure you want to be in there, Princess?” He asked Kate.

“You bet your ass I do.”

All five of them entered the room, and Lindsey shut up immediately. She had a look of pure defiance on her face, like she was determined to get out of here without giving them anything. One of those things was definitely not happening. She was sure as shit not getting out of here.

“Five against one. You guys certainly play fair,” she said.

Seth took the lead. He walked up to her and said, “You know why you’re here.”

“Yeah, ‘cause your bitch is still here.”

He slapped her across the face, “Enough of the name calling. All I want from you is answers.”

She laughed, “And what makes you think I’ll just give them to you?”

“Because I’m the good cop,” he said with a smirk. “There are three other bad cops in here that won’t have any problem tearing you limb from limb. One way or another you’re gonna tell us what we want. It’s your choice who you get to deal with.”

She laughed, but said nothing.

Seth continued. “Were you always working for them? Or did you get recruited because you work here?”

Lindsey kept her mouth shut, which was enough to set Alessandra off. She walked forward, grabbed one of Lindsey’s fingers, and bent it back until everyone heard it crunch. Lindsey screamed in pain.

“Oh,” said Seth. “That didn’t sound pleasant.”

“Fuck you!” She spat.

“You’ve got nine more if you’d like me to work with those,” said Al with an evil smile.

“Now,” continued Seth. “Did you come here working for them, or were you recruited.”

“My job was to watch the honey pot,” said Lindsey through gritted teeth.

“Honey pot?” Asked Kate.

Lindsey glared at her. “Where else would you find so much of what was needed for the ritual in one place? In none of the other houses could any two items be found together. But here, three of the most wanted people were just sitting around looking to get caught. With the fourth visiting frequently.”

“So you were sent to spy on us?” Asked Seth.

Lindsey shrugged, but said nothing.

“What about LuAnne?” Asked Seth. “Is she a part of it? Is that why she conveniently wasn’t here tonight? To make sure we were?"

“LuAnne?” She laughed. “LuAnne had nothing to do with it. She was just a means to getting what I needed, which was the little bitch being here tonight.”

Seth slapped her again, and warned, “I said no more name calling. Where is she?”

“LuAnne? Well she’s just a pile dust in her apartment now, so I’d say nowhere really.”

“So basically you were sent here to spy on us, and separate us when the time was right. So you’re a lacky,” he turned to the group and said, “I bet she doesn’t know much, she’s just someone’s bitch.”

“I know plenty, and I am no one’s bitch,” spat Lindsey.

“Sure as Hell sounds like it to me,” he said with a grin. “You didn’t really have any real work to do, just sit around and watch. Bitch work.”

“Tell that to LuAnne,” she smirked. “I did more than watch her die. I was also supposed to figure out if you knew where the chalice was. Which I did, successfully.”

“Well you fucked everything else up,” said Richie with a smirk.

“No, not really. I was supposed to observe, gain information, and report back. Not plan an attack. I’m not the one who fucked that up. Something tells me the ones who fucked that up don’t have to worry about any future repercussions. I did my part just fine. The only mistake I made was falling in love with you.”

“Fuck you! How dare you say something like that to him,” screamed Kate, grabbing Richie’s hand. “You don’t love him, you tried to use him, you bitch. But it didn’t work, so stop trying to manipulate him.”

“What?” Said Lindsey with a sharp laugh. “You think just ‘cause he’s as fucked up as he is, you’re the only one who would fall for him? Look at him, he’s a fucking wet dream. And that fucked up mind of his,” she moaned. “That deliciously fucked up mind. It’s what I’ve always been looking for.”

“He would never be interested in someone like you,” said Kate.

“Why ‘cause I’m not some high school aged slut like you?”

Richie slapped her across the face. He was tired of her calling Kate names like that.

“Mmmm, that’s right, Daddy,” Lindsey moaned. “You gonna slap me around like you used to? You know that’s how I like it. I know you like it rough too, baby.”

Richie stood completely still, and utterly silent. Kate was looking at him, wondering why he seemed hesitant to go on.

“What’s wrong, sugar?” She smirked. “Didn’t you tell your new girlfriend about us?”

“What?” Asked Kate.

“That’s right, Katie-cakes, didn’t loverboy mention that he was fucking me?”

The room went silent. That is until Lindsey’s evil laugh filled it.

“Richie?” Asked Kate, dropping his hand. “Is that true?”

He was glaring at Lindsey, avoiding answering her question. He didn’t want to look at Kate. Didn’t want to see the hurt in her eyes that he heard in her voice. He couldn’t handle it if he did. If he looked at her now, he wouldn’t be able to continue. He was ashamed as well, and didn’t want her to see it.

“Is that true?” She asked again, more harshly.

He turned to her slowly, and answered coldly, “Yes. But that was a long time ago. Now can we get back to the real issue here?”

Kate could feel tears prickling at the backs of her eyes, but she fought them back. It was like he stabbed her in the heart with his cold stare. How could he betray her like that? How could this man, who claims to love her, not even seem to care how much this was hurting her? He just wanted to move on like it was nothing.

Everyone else was quiet, like they couldn’t believe the bombshell either. That’s when Lindsey chimed in.

“Well, baby. It wasn’t that long ago.”

Al, who hadn’t stepped back from when she broke Lindsey’s finger earlier, took the opportunity to punch Lindsey right in the throat. Lindsey gagged and coughed in response.

“None of that’s important now, you little cunt,” said Al with more than a little hatred in her voice. “Now, give us what we want, or I’ll break more of your fingers. Then I’ll move on to other body parts.”

“Why?” Choked Lindsey. “You’re just gonna kill me either way.”

“True,” responded Al. “But don’t you want the chance to be helpful for once in your life? Maybe earn a little redemption before you go?”

“No,” spat Lindsey. “Not really. I hope you all burn in Hell.”

“Looks like you’ll beat us there,” spat Seth. “Where are they hiding?”

“I’ll never tell.”

“Is that because you’re so low on the totem pole you don’t even know? Or just because you’re just as incompetent in all aspects of your life and not just bar-tending?”

“Fuck you,” she said. “But I guess you’ll never find out.”

“Enough of this,” yelled Kisa. “If she isn’t going to willingly give us the answer, then we just take it from her.”

“That sounds like a plan,” said Al. “I’m getting tired of looking at her anyway. Let’s all do it. That way we have a better chance of getting everything she knows.”

Kisa and Al looked at Richie to make sure he knew exactly what to do. He nodded his agreement, but there was something else in his eyes that they both saw.

Lindsey’s eyes shot open as she realized what was about to happen. She was about to reach her end, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

All three snarled into their other forms, fangs descending from the roofs of their mouths. Lindsey followed suit, if only to show her anger.

They bit her all at once, and her hissing screams filled the air. They drained her completely. Not because they needed to, but because they wanted to. They got what they could from her way before it was over, but she needed to die, so why not feed completely. She sat limply in the chair as they pulled away. Then scattered into ash.

Unfortunately the answers she gave were not completely clear. She knew several locations that could be their current hideout. Three different places to be specific. Seems like they have been in operation for a long time, and have quite the team pulled together. Now to find out which one they were currently using, and hit them back before they tried again.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate stormed out of the room as soon as they were done. She was pissed, embarrassed, and down right hurt.

“Kate,” Richie called after her, wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth. “Kate. God dammit!”

“Richard,” said Seth, grabbing Richie by the arm. “Maybe give her a minute.”

“Get the fuck outta my way, Seth,” he hissed back.

“Look. She just found out, like the rest of us by the way, that you were fucking her enemy. What the fuck were you thinking? Screwing someone like that?”

“I wasn’t,” he said, ripping his arm from Seth’s. “But don’t even give me that shit. You got your dick sucked by half of the girls that worked here. Lord knows how many you fucked, so I don’t want to hear it from you.”

He burst through the door, nearly taking it off the hinges in his rush. He strode off down the hall to the stairs. The elevator was already heading up and he didn’t want to wait. He headed towards Kate’s room as soon as he got to that level. He figured she would go there to get away. He was right. When he got there the door was shut. He went to open it, but it was locked.

“Kate,” he said, gently knocking on the door. “Open up.”

“No,” she screamed at him. “Leave me alone. I don’t even want to look at you.”

“Kate,” he said, jiggling the handle roughly. “Please just let me in.”

“Go away, Richard. I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Katie, please,” he said leaning his head on the frame. “I need to talk to you, and I’m not going anywhere until I do. So let me in.”

“No!” She screamed back at him.

“If you don’t open this fucking door, Kate, I’m kicking it in. Don’t think I won’t. I am going to talk to you whether you like it or not.” He sighed, and his words went from angry to gentle. “So please, baby, please just open the door. Let me in, okay? Please.”

She unlocked it, but didn’t open the door for him. He took a deep breath before opening it and stepping through, shutting the door carefully behind him.

She was standing there, in the middle of the room, arms crossed, avoiding looking at him. His heart sank at the sight of her. He hated hurting her, and hated that she was mad at him. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, act as a tourniquet for the pain streaming out of her, but knew she wouldn't let him touch her.

“Kate,” he started, voice cracking. 

“How could you?” She yelled, stopping whatever words were about to leave his mouth.

“How could I what? Fuck her?”

“Yes, Richard. If you claim you love me, how could you sleep with her?”

“We weren’t together at the time, Kate. It’s not like I cheated on you. I wouldn’t do that.”

“So what?” She yelled. “It still feels like you did. You knew how much I hated her, and you kept it from me.”

“I didn’t do it to hurt you, Kate.”

“They why did you do it?” She spat.

“I don’t know. Because I’m an idiot. Because I was fucking miserable, and she seduced me.”

“Really? That’s what you’re gonna go with? She seduced you? Like you were helpless against it or something?”

“What do you want from me, Kate?” He asked, angrily. “It’s not like she means anything to me. She never did.”

“Then why her?”

“She was there.”

“Oh, so that’s it? You found somewhere to stick it, so you did. No big deal at all. So what? You’d just fuck anything then? Is that it? Is that what you do with your spare time, Richard? Just fuck around? I guess that’s what I am too. A meaningless place to put it.”

“No,” he yelled. “You know that’s not true.”

“Do I?”

He looked away from her then. Took a big breath, then faced her. “Do you know when I first slept with her? Huh? New Year’s.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“You remember what happened two years ago, Kate? How you left me on that dance floor? That’s what New Year’s has to do with it.”

“So what? You blaming this on me, now?”

“I’m not blaming you for anything,” he snapped. “But understand what I was going through when I made that decision. Before you judge me.” He paused and took another long breath. “I loved you, Kate. I wanted you. And you made it very clear to me that you didn’t want anything to do with me the year before. That’s all I could think about that night. That, and I had to watch you hang all over that guy. Some asshole you didn’t even know, but clearly he was more preferable than me.”

“That’s not true,” she interjected. “I. . .”

“Let me finish,” he said, cutting her off. “Do you have any idea what that felt like? It was worse than you running from me, Kate. It was a slap in the face. You were flaunting him in front of me, reminding me that I couldn’t have you, but for some reason, he could. I couldn’t deal with it. I was drunk, lonely, miserable, and in need of something that made me feel like I wasn’t a total piece of shit. Then came Lindsey. And she wanted me. And I needed that. I needed to feel wanted. So when she suggested it, I agreed. I fucked her because I needed to feel something other than empty. Nothing more.”

Kate’s face somewhat softened. She took a long breath, then asked, “How many times?” 

“What?” He asked, taken aback. 

“You said the first time. How many times did you sleep with her?”

“What does that matter?”

“Just answer me, Richard.”

He sighed, then answered matter of factly, “Three.”

“Did you do for her what you did for me?”

“What?” He asked, confused.

“Did you do for her what you did for me? Or did you just sleep with her?” She asked, both anger and hurt in her voice.

“If you mean eating her out, then no. I just fucked her. She didn’t mean anything to me, Kate. Not like you. I care about your needs, with her I was just looking for a release. It was about my needs.” 

The room went silent. He looked away from her as he struggled to hold his composure. She wouldn’t make eye-contact with him either.

“Look, Kate,” he continued, voice strained. “If had any idea that you wanted me, any at all, I never would have touched her. I love you, and only you. You’re the one that I want, not her, not anyone else. I thought you,” he paused, took a deep, shaky breath. “I thought you. . . I . . . I gave up on us. Okay? Seeing you with that other guy, that’s when I finally gave up on us. I didn’t think you could ever want to be with me. I always thought that. You’re too good for me, Kate. You deserve so much more than I could ever be, but God dammit I love you, and I need you. I know it’s selfish, but I wanted you even if I would never be good for you. Then I felt something when I was dancing with you that night, and I thought you were feeling it too. That’s why I made the move, not to push you, but because I thought that maybe, even just a little bit, that you wanted me too. So, when you ran from me that night, it hurt. I thought I drove you away completely, and I hated myself for that. Then seeing you with him, seeing that anyone was better than me, it proved to me that I really wasn’t good enough for you. That I never would be.”

“That’s not true, Richie,” she said, tears falling from her eyes. “I shouldn’t have left you like that. I did feel it too, but I wasn’t ready, and I panicked. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I made a mistake.”

“And so did I,” he said.

“This is all my fault,” she sobbed.

“It’s not your fault, Kate.”

“Yes it is!” she yelled. “Do you have any idea how bad I wanted to be with you on New Year’s? I wanted a redo. I wanted to prove to you that I was ready for you now. I wanted you to dance with me like you did before. I wanted to kiss you this time, to make up for how I left you that night. But I thought you wouldn’t want that, that you resented me. Things were different after that night, you were more distant. I didn’t want to push you further away, because I needed you, Richie. I only danced with that guy to try to keep my mind off of you. You were the one I wanted, but I couldn’t bring myself to confront you. If I wasn’t so afraid of getting hurt, none of this would have happened.” She took a sniveling breath, and continued. “Don’t just stand there, Richie! Say something!”

“What do you want me to do?” He asked as sincerely as he could.

“I want you here,” she sobbed. “I want you to hold me. I want you to tell me you love me. Tell me you forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Katie,” he said closing the distance between them. He wrapped his arms around her. “I do love you, Kate. I always did. Nothing will ever change that. I never resented you, I never could.” He kissed the top of her head. 

“I pushed you away. Then I got mad at you for. . .for looking to someone else when I wasn’t there for you. You’ve always been so good to me, and anytime you aren’t doing something for me, I get angry at you. Like you owe me something. What’s wrong with me?”

“There’s nothing wrong with you, baby.”

“I’m sorry, Richie,” she said pressing her face into his chest. “I was acting like a child, a spoiled brat. Being mad at you for sleeping with someone before we were together, it’s ridiculous.”

“No it’s not. You shouldn’t have had to find out like that, in front of everyone. And not from her. I’m the one who should be sorry,” he said, tilting her face to him. “I love you. I never should have slept with her. And I should have told you. I was afraid you would hate me if you found out, but you needed to know. Do you forgive me?”

“I do.”

They stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like minutes, but in reality was probably only a few seconds. She noticed a glistening at the corner of his eyes.

“Are you crying, Richie?”

“No,” he replied flatly.

“Don’t lie to me, Richard. You’re not good at it.”

He smiled. “Fine. I got a little misty. I just didn’t want to look like some sort of pussy to you. You happy?”

She smiled back. “You don’t look like a pussy to me, Richie.”

“Good.”

“But if you need a reminder of what a real pussy looks like, I know someone who can show you,” she smirked.

“Oh yeah,” he chuckled. “Who?”

“Well,” she said, giving him a sly smile. “If you follow me to my bed, I’ll show you. Maybe I’ll even let you show me how sorry you are for keeping that from me.”

He smiled back and let her pull him over to the bed. She sat on the edge of the bed, and pulled him to his knees in front of her.

“Well,” she said. “These jeans aren’t going to take themselves off.”

He gave her that sexy, confident grin he seemed to gain over the last few days. Then undid the button and zipper before pulling them down her legs. Next was her panties, which he made quick work of.

“Now that’s a pussy,” he said, looking at her and licking his lips.

“Why don’t you show it how sorry you are for being a bad boy and keeping secrets?”

“And how should I do that?” He asked, looking up into her eyes.

“Kiss it. Make it better,” she pouted.

He moved in, letting his lips gently brush over her clit. His tongue snaked out, lightly licking it. He looked her back in the eyes and gave her a side grin. Then he flicked his tongue over that most sensitive part again. He repeated this action after seeing her bite her lip and close her eyes. He placed his large hand on her stomach, and pushed her back. She leaned back on her elbows now, so she could watch him work. 

He slithered his tongue along her, tip to bottom and back up, circling her clit with expertise. He sucked on it gently before pulling away. He gave her an almost evil grin, as he dove back to it. Licking and sucking with a frenzy. 

Kate was wet now, sopping wet, and moaning. Richie shoved his tongue in her as deep as he could, earning a surprised yelp from her. He wiggled it around in her, and this was the most intense feeling he gave her yet. 

“Oh, Richie,” she moaned. Pulling his head closer to her. Tugging his hair to keep his face right where she wanted it.

He dove his tongue in and out of her, fucking her with it. Every few thrusts he stopped to wiggle inside her again. He trashed his head around at the feel of her tugging at his hair, worrying at her like a dog with a bone. He looked crazed, and God it looked hot to Kate.

He wasn’t using his fingers this time. Instead his hands grabbed her ass, pulling her closer to him. He slung her legs over his shoulder, and she wrapped them around his neck. As his tongue worked in and out of her, his nose rubbed against her clit. It felt amazing and made her squirm. She pulled even harder at his hair at the sensation. 

She moaned and thrust at his face, helping him even further in. It was different from the other times he did this, more intense. She was starting to wonder how he was breathing, but he didn’t seem to care. He was moaning too, as he fucked her with his face, clearly enjoying what he was doing.

His hands squeezed her ass, kneading it. Kate arched her back into him. He felt so good she thought she was going to literally explode. She came with a shudder and a whine.

“Oh, fuck, Richie,” she panted as she started to come down.

She released him from her grasp, and parted her legs. He was still going though, not ready to give up. He licked her bottom to top, lapping up everything she could give him, and sending little shock-waves through her body like aftershocks.

She pushed his head away and he gave her a frustrated look.

“Stand up,” she demanded.

He did as he was told, but continued to look down at her, waiting further instruction. She saw his face glistening from nose to chin, and it really turned her on. It was the remnants of a job well done. She stood up, and wrapped her fingers in his hair. She pulled his face down to hers and gave him a forceful, sloppy kiss. 

She broke the kiss by pulling his face from hers, leaving his hungry lips. She dropped to her knees in front of him. She felt him through his pants and smiled up at him. He was solid under her fingers.

Kate undid his belt and pants and let them drop to the floor. She pulled his briefs down slowly, making sure to quickly kiss his tip as it first sprung out. She grabbed him, licking him more solidly.

Last time she enjoyed teasing him, but this time she just wanted to make him cum. Wanted to taste him. She took him in her mouth, and started working him. Her hands were involved too, one working the part of his shaft her mouth couldn’t get, the other massaging his balls.

He moaned when she circled his tip with her tongue, still able to find the most sensitive part under the head. She flicked over it several times while keeping him in her mouth. Then she went back to bobbing up and down him.

His hand was gripping her hair tightly, and he pushed her ever so slightly farther down his shaft. Not enough to be uncomfortable to her, and she liked it. His hips thrust at her face, harder than last time. She thought she was going to gag with the force of his thrusts, but didn’t. Still she had to removed him from her mouth to regain her composure. 

She stroked him while looking up at him. He looked down at her, the need in his eyes was intense. She licked his tip like a lollipop while continuing to make eye-contact. Then went back to fully working him.

“Oh fuck, Kate,” he moaned. Then he pulled her head back.

He started jacking himself off furiously while holding her head just out of reach. Her tongue was just able to touch his tip. She flicked it along the hole, and he moaned again at the sensation.

“Open your mouth,” he panted. “I want to watch you swallow my cum.”

She licked her lips then obliged, just sticking her tongue out ever so slightly. It was just want he needed. He moaned and the first spurt poured out and landed on her bottom lip and chin. The next was better aimed and landed on her tongue. It was followed by another two that filled her mouth with his delicious seed. She swallowed what he provided, and he hissed with pleasure. He let go of her head then, and she put her mouth around him, getting all the dribbles that followed. 

When he was all clean, she looked up at him and smiled. He smiled down at her, then picked her up by the arms. He picked her up so her face was even with his. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he placed his hands under her ass to hold her up. He kissed her forcefully, holding her close. Then walked over to the bed and plopped her down, shedding his pants from his ankles.

He crawled on top of her and continued to make out with her while between her legs. She bucked against him, and tangled her hands in his hair. His hips responded and his still hard tip brushed against her opening.

She put her hands to his stomach and pushed him slightly, “Richie.”

“I know, baby” he panted, just above her lips. “I won’t. I promise. Not until you say.”

He kissed her gently and the panic eased from her body. Her hands slid up his stomach, his chest, and settled around his shoulders.

“Just because we can’t do that,” he smirked. “Doesn’t mean I’m done with you yet.”

He nipped at her lower lip then proceeded with his course of action, kissing her with a passion. He was nibbling on her neck when she spoke out.

“Mmmm, Richie?”

“Yes Katie,” he answered in between nibbles.

“You know how we were talking about that massage earlier?”

“Mmmhmm.”

“I think I’d like it now.”

He stopped what he was doing, and looked her dead in the eye. “Really? Now?”

“I’m still sore, and I want you to put those magic hands to work. If it’s anything like your foot rubs. . .” she giggled. “I can’t wait.”

He chuckled, “Well, you won’t be disappointed. Turn over.”

“Just one more thing before we start.”

“Anything.”

“Take off your shirt. I want to see all of you.”

That cocky grin was back on his face as he slowly undid the buttons on his shirt.


	12. The Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that they have the little information Lindsey provided, it's time for the gang to spring into action.
> 
> Tidbit:
> 
> After being told about what happened to Kate, Scott dropped everything to come back to his sister. There was no way he was going to let anything happen to her, and nothing was going to stop him from protecting her, not even his beloved band. He had every faith the Gecko’s would do whatever it took to protect her, which is why he didn’t come back until now. But things were getting serious, and they were going to need all the help they could get. There was no more time to waste. These assholes needed to be stopped now. So it was time to put away his ax and bring back out the steel.

Seth was sitting next to Richie in a smoke filled strip club. His brother was rambling on about some stupid bullshit as a woman rubbed herself against him. How he could think of shit like that, as a beautiful, sexy woman was doing that to him, Seth could never understand. He was always focused on the show in front of him.

In this case, it was currently behind him, as hands ran down his chest, and big breasts rested on his shoulders. The woman sashayed her way around him, shaking her ass for him to see. She bent down in front of him, leaning her ass towards him, as her hands wrapped around her own ankles. She slowly moved her hands up her legs, then turned to look at him as she slapped her own ass. He couldn’t see her face clearly, but the show was fantastic.

She backed up on him, parting his legs as she dipped between them, swirling her hips, and letting her ass rub against him in the process. She turned around and put her tits in his face as she placed her hands on his shoulders. Then used one of those hands to push his face closer to them. He rubbed his face between them at her urging.

She swiveled her hips and she made her way down between his legs, her face only an inch from his cock. Her hands ran up his thighs as she pushed herself back up, arching her back and pushing her tits closer to his face.

She straddled his lap and ground down on him, hands on his shoulders. He again rubbed his face between her big, beautiful tits as she arched her back. When she finally faced him, he looked into her face, and for the first time it was clear to him. It was Al, and she was biting her lip as she gave him the sexiest pout he ever saw. His cock twitched.

Seth’s eyes shot open at the realization. So did Al’s down the hall. “What the fuck?” They both questioned as they awoke from their simultaneous dream.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie was walking down the hall towards the elevator to head up to the bar for the day. He heard Al scream from down the hall, and he immediately ran towards her fearing the worst.

“Kill it,” she shrieked as she saw him enter her room.

“What? What?” He asked in a panic.

“That,” she yelled, pointing at the corner.

He looked over to where she was pointing and saw nothing, “What is it, Al?”

“That,” she screamed, obviously annoyed.

He looked again, puzzled, thinking she was hallucinating or something. That some sort of witch magic was messing with her, kind of like the magic that killed Willet from afar. Then he saw it, and the panic faded from his face.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” He asked in disbelief. “Are you talking about that fucking spider on your wall?”

“Look at the size of it,” she yelled. “It’s huge! What the fuck is that?”

“It’s a fucking house spider,” he said, making his way over to it. 

He grabbed a tissue from her dresser on the way over, and skillfully caught it. Then walked into her bathroom and flushed it down the toilet.

“There,” he said, emerging from her bathroom. “It’s gone. You okay now?”

Alessandra straightened herself out and cleared her throat, “Yes,” she said, avoiding his eyes at all cost. “Thank you.”

“I’m gonna leave now,” he said, squinting his eyes at her. “Try not to have another panic attack over something less than an inch in diameter while I’m gone.”

He walked out of the room, leaving Alessandra in total silence.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth was sitting at the bar, drink in his hand and BLT in front of him, as Richie sat next to him. He grunted a hello to his younger brother, who looked at him pensively in return.

“How’d things go with Kate last night?” Asked Seth, after taking a sip of his drink.

Richie shrugged, “Better than expected.”

“So you made up?”

“You can say that,” he smirked back.

“How the fuck did you pull that off? She was pissed, and rightfully so.”

“We had a nice, long talk. Worked some things out,” he shrugged again.

Seth shook his head in disbelief. He took a bite out his sandwich, then said, “I still don’t understand how you can talk your way out of almost anything.”

“What can I say, brother,” said Richie with an evil grin. “I’m skilled with my tongue.”

“Eh,” grunted Seth. “I’m eating, you asshole.”

Richie chuckled at Seth’s discomfort. Then ordered a drink and a rare burger from the bartender. 

“She talked to Scott last night,” said Richie. “He’ll be here tonight. Then I say we go after them.” 

“Sounds like a plan,” he said, taking another bite of his sandwich.

They sat there in silence, drinking their drinks until Richie’s burger was brought out. He took a bite, and smiled, nodding his head as he put it back on the plate. There was something about a juicy burger he would never get tired of, no matter how many he ate over the years. And he had lots of burgers over the years. With him and Seth being on the run a lot of the time and neither of them really cooking, take out and diners were almost an everyday thing.

“Is something bothering you, brother?” Asked Richie when he noticed Seth still wasn’t talking, which was highly unusual because he never really shut up. 

Seth shrugged, “I don’t know.”

“Well, clearly something is. Otherwise I’d barely be able to get a sentence in.”

“Real funny,” said Seth, annoyed. “It’s just something’s been off.”

“What do you mean? With this cult shit?”

“No. With me. Ever since I got shot, something’s been off. You having any weird side effects from sharing blood with Al?”

“No. What kind of side effects are you talking about?”

“Like seeing shit.”

“Like hallucinating?” Asked Richie.

“No,” said Seth, shaking his head. “I’ve been having these dreams, but they're like memories, but not my memories. And then last night it was something else completely. It felt real.”

“Huh,” said Richie. “Nothing like that has been happening to me.”

“Do you think it’s normal? You know, for humans sharing blood with a Vespertilio?”

“I have no fucking clue, but we can ask her.”

“I don’t really want to, Richie. She’s just gonna have some stupid comment to make about me dreaming about her or something.”

“Why would you say that?” Asked Richie. “She’s usually more than willing to help.”

“Because that’s what I would do.”

Richie laughed at that, “I guess you have a point there.”

“Plus,” Seth sighed. “I think she might be mad at me.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because I totally accused her yesterday of being a rat. You weren’t around after, you were busy dealing with Kate. She didn’t talk to me all night. I saw her drinking at the bar with Kisa around closing time. I went to apologize, and when I sat down next to her, she looked at me and then got up and left without saying anything. I’m pretty sure that means she’s pissed.”

“Humpf,” said Richie. “Sounds like it. I’m gonna ask her anyway. How else are we supposed to know if it’s normal or not.” He paused to take another bite of his burger. “Look, here she comes. I’m gonna ask.”

Seth let out a long, loud sigh, then took another sip of his drink.

“Hey, Arachnophobia,” shouted Richie across the bar. “Get over here. I have something to ask you.”

“Shut up, Richard,” said Al as she made her way over.

“Take it easy, Ron Weasley,” he chuckled as Alessandra walked past Seth and took the empty seat next to Richie. 

“I suppose I owe you from earlier,” she said, still avoiding eye contact.

“You most definitely do,” he smirked. “Tell me about blood sharing with Vespertilio. Are there any side effects?”

“Not really,” she said, shaking her head. “Why? You have some?”

“Not me,” said Richie, nodding in Seth’s direction.

She looked at Seth then, giving him a very unpleasant look. He gave a small, uncomfortable smile and a shrug in return.

Richie rolled his eyes and leaned out of the way. He did not like being in the middle of whatever the fuck this was.

“What are we talking about?” Asked a very grumpy Al. “Tingling? Itchiness? Loss of feeling? Those are very normal, and should go away. A rash is less common, but will also go away.”

“Nothing like that,” said Richie. “It’s not a physical issue he’s having. He’s . . . seeing things.”

“Seeing things?” Asked Alessandra in shock. “Nope. That has nothing to do with me. I have never in my life heard of someone seeing things after.”

“Well, because of what he’s seeing, I think it might have something to do with it.”

“And what would that be, Richard?”

“You.”

“Excuse me?” She asked, eyes wide open.

“He says he’s been having dreams about you since he got shot.”

“Dreams?”

“Yeah. Does that mean anything to you?”

Al leaned back in her chair, and took a long, audible breath as she rubbed the back of her neck. 

“That shouldn’t happen,” she said, quietly. “But something similar has been happening to me since then as well.”

“What?!” Shouted Seth.

“I have been having dreams of you as well,” she said uncomfortably, still not looking at him.

“Like memories that feel like they're your own, but they're not?” He asked.

“Exactly,” she sighed. “Then something else this morning.”

“What?” Seth asked, eyes wide. “Like a sex dream about me?”

“No,” she said, aggravated. Then a little softer, “Not exactly.”

“Were you giving me a lap dance in a strip club?”

“How the fuck did you know that?” She yelled in surprise.

“Because I had that same dream this morning.”

What the fuck was happening? Richie was so confused. This was not how he thought this conversation was going to go. So they were dreaming of each other, that seemed odd.

“Something’s wrong here,” said Al, shaking her head. “This isn’t right.”

“Tell me about it,” said an exasperated Seth. At least he wasn’t the only crazy one, he thought.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Al was sitting in the living room, just staring at the walls. She sipped on her gin and juice as Richie entered the room. He sat down next to her on the couch and plopped his whiskey on the coffee table.

“Got something better than gin to help take your mind off it,” he said, pulling a little bag from his pocket.

“Richard Gecko, you are a gem,” she said smiling.

He smirked as he took one of his pre-rolled joints from the bag, then he pulled his lighter from his pocket. He put the joint to his mouth, lit it, took a puff, than passed it to Al.

She took a hit then passed it back. A few puffs and passes later, they started actually talking. Something rare for them, they never really just talked to each other before. It started out light, just some jokes and small chat. Then slowly it became Al thinking about the problem at hand.

“There had to be something else on that bullet,” said Alessandra. “Something to explain this bullshit between me and your brother.”

“Like what?” Asked Richie.

“I don’t know. I get the Vespertilio saliva. I get the werewolf venom. What the fuck else would they need?”

“You tell me,” he said. “You’re the expert.”

She stared off, thinking on it before she blurted out, “Witches. Fuckin’ witches.”

He chuckled, “What?”

“Witches did something to it.”

“Like what? A love spell?” Laughed Richie.

“No,” she said, irritated. “Fuck you, man. I’m not in love with your brother. And he isn’t with me. What the fuck would that be doing on a bullet anyway.”

“Beats me,” he laughed, as a cloud of smoke billowed from his open mouth. “Maybe it’s like modern cupid.”

“Real funny. It has to be something psychological. He’s in my head as much as I’m in his.”

“That’s fucked up, man.”

“That is fucked up, man,” she said. “Now I just have to figure out what it is. So I can fix it.”

“You will. It’s only a matter of time.”

She took a hit, then passed it back to Richie, “Do you ever really think about time?”

“What?” Said Richie, giving her quizzical brows, and taking the joint.

“Time, man. Do you ever really think about it? How do we even know this is the real time? Who made that shit up? What if they were wrong?”

“I don’t know. There’s a lot of that kind of shit out there,” he said, passing it back. “Like they tell us stuff and we’re just supposed to believe it.”

“I know right,” she said, taking another hit and passing it to Richie.

He took another hit as Kate walked in. She was just in time to hear his next question.

“Wait. Here’s one. Do you ever think about what happens to socks?” He asked, chuckling. “You know, like they go in the wash, but they don’t come out. Where the fuck do they go?”

“I don’t know, man” she said, laughing hysterically. “Maybe there’s like an inter-dimensional sock portal, and one day all the socks will return.”

They were both cracking up, but all Kate could think was, “idiots”. She sat between them on the couch and intercepted Al’s pass back to Richie.

“Hey, baby,” he purred, putting his arm around her shoulders.

“You guys are morons,” she said. “Why do you even smoke this stuff?”

“Hey,” he said. “I have a medical card.”

“Yeah,” said Kate. “I’ve seen it. You look a lot different in your picture.”

“The lighting was bad,” he chuckled.

Al snorted when he pulled it out to show her. “Nice.”

Kate rolled her eyes, then took a hit, much to Richie and Al’s astonishment. She let the smoke pour from her mouth, then said, “Where did you get this anyway? I’ve been with you most of the week.”

“It came with breakfast the other day,” laughed Al. Then she became completely serious before continuing, “You know, it’s a real shame we had to kill that guy.”

“Why?” Asked Kate.

“Because he had real good weed,” chuckled Al.

Richie joined in on her laughter on the other side of Kate. She didn’t think it was that funny.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After being told about what happened to Kate, Scott dropped everything to come back to his sister. There was no way he was going to let anything happen to her, and nothing was going to stop him from protecting her, not even his beloved band. He had every faith the Gecko’s would do whatever it took to protect her, which is why he didn’t come back until now. But things were getting serious, and they were going to need all the help they could get. There was no more time to waste. These assholes needed to be stopped now. So it was time to put away his ax and bring back out the steel. 

Scott walked up to the Jacknife just before eleven, and bar was still hopping. He walked through the doors just in time to see an interesting interaction between Kate and Richie. They were by the bar, smiling and talking alone. Richie brushed Kate’s hair behind her ear, letting his fingers gently trace her jaw on the way down. Kate took his hand in hers, and he brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. She blushed at the attention, smiling at him sheepishly. Then Richie tilted her chin up with his fingers and gave her a gentle kiss, nuzzling her nose with his before planting a more firm kiss on her lips.

When Seth walked over from behind the bar, they broke their little embrace, but remained touching. Richie kept his arm around her waist, planting his hand on her hip. Kate leaned into him, putting her arms around his neck. 

Scott smiled as he walked over. He knew it was inevitable. In fact he was somewhat surprised it took this long. He could never say that either Gecko was someone he thought truly deserved his sister, but he knew they were good to her. Richie and Kate had an undeniable connection that Scott was certainly not blind to, and at times he thought he was even more aware of it than either of them.

What Scott saw at Richie’s party was surprising, they were never that open with each other, certainly not in front of him. He took it as a good sign that they were finally ready to move forward. Then what he saw during his show, made him sure they were headed for this very moment. He could see how happy Kate was, and he believed she truly deserved all the happiness in the world. Even if it was with a Gecko.

“Hey guys,” he said as he sat on the stool next to Kate.

“Scott,” she cried, gleefully, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tender hug.

Scott hugged her back, but looked at Richie over her shoulder, letting him know that he saw what was happening. Richie gave him a nervous flick of a smile in return. It made Scott feel pleased that the younger Gecko was at least a little unsettled by his presence. To him, it meant that not only did Kate’s opinion matter to him, but so did his. Richie wanted him to be okay with it, probably mostly for Kate’s sake, but maybe even a little for his own. 

They became decently close during the whole Amaru thing, with Richie acting like a protective and caring, older brother for the young Culebra. Scott figured it had something to do with guilt, a lot of Kate influence, and a little bit of a need for redemption. Whatever the reason, it didn’t truly matter to Scott. He appreciated him being there. They were both going through similar things, knowing Kate was trapped in her own body. She cared deeply for them, and both thought her last impression of them was utter failure and disappointment. It hurt both deeply, and set them both on a path, be it separately, to become what Kate had wanted for them.

When the chance came to rescue Kate, both boys felt the pang of guilt all over again. They needed to save her, and learn to trust one another in the process. It ultimately led to a relationship neither saw coming. They would never be good friends, but they respected each other, and trusted fully that the other would do anything for their beloved Kate.

Scott gently nodded his head at Richie, signifying that he indeed approved. He saw a visible sigh of relief from the younger Gecko, and a small smile crept across his face as he looked at Kate, still holding on to her younger brother.

Later that night, while the rest of the team prepared for what lay ahead, Scott decided he would bring up what he saw earlier to Kate. In case anything was to happen to him, he wanted to let Kate know that he was okay with it.

“So,” he said. “When did you and Richie become a thing?”

“What?” Asked a shocked and blushing Kate.

“I saw you two kiss when I walked in tonight.”

Kate looked mortified. Like she expected her brother to be disgusted with her for her feeling the way she did.

“I’m not mad about it, Kate,” he said, putting his hand on her arm reassuringly. “I just wanted you to know that I know, and that you don’t have to hide it from me.”

“You’re not upset about it? I mean I know what you think about them. About how we all met in the first place.”

“Well I can’t say that I’m truly happy about it,” he said. “But I get it. A lot has changed since that day, Kate. And I’m not as angry with them as I was.”

“Oh,” she sighed. “I was afraid you wouldn’t forgive me.”

“Why? Because you love a man who’s good to you? We all have things in our past, Kate. True, he has worse things in his than most, but you could do worse.”

“I always wonder if Mamma and Daddy would approve. Do you think they watch us from Heaven and are disappointed in us? I know how Daddy felt about him. I don’t think he would ever approve of me being with him.”

“Kate, I saw that there was something different between you two from the moment we were in that RV, and I’m sure Dad did too. It must’ve scared the shit out of him, but if he is watching us, and he saw anything I have seen in the past three years, I think it would have changed his opinion. At least a little.”

“What are you talkin’ about? What have you seen that could have changed Daddy’s mind? You know how stubborn he was.”

“True, but I never told you this Kate. There was something Richie said when we first walked in that RV that I will never forget. His first words to Dad were about you. He said ‘You know that daughter of yours is a real sweet girl. We had a nice, long talk. Sounds like the two of you have a few things you need to work out.’ Dad took that as a threat, which set Richie off, but I never really thought it was a threat. I think that was him trying to connect with Dad because he liked you. Maybe even trying to show Dad that he wasn’t that bad, and that he obviously didn’t want to hurt you ‘cause he wanted you two to work it out. I thought it was weird at the time, but as we spent more time together in that RV, things started to make sense.”

“What do you mean?”

“Seriously, Kate? Don’t act like you don’t remember. Richie was completely different towards you, gentle and hesitant. You meant something to him from the moment he met you, and I think if Dad was still around, he would have eventually seen it too. That Richie wanted you to be happy, but saw that your current relationship with Dad was hurting you. That he wanted to fix it for you. And that that was what he was trying to get at. I mean,” he said with a chuckle. “We both know how awkward he is, so I believe that was his honest attempt at showing dad that he cared about you. Like telling a man he had a gun to about how sweet his teenage daughter was when he met her by a pool wasn’t creepy.”

“Stop making fun of him,” pouted Kate. “He tries. And he wasn’t being a creep by the pool. He just listened to me talk, and was giving his advice. He didn’t try to touch me or anything. He did actually tell me that I should talk to dad, that it would make me feel better. He was trying to help.”

“I’m not trying to make fun of him,” said Scott. “And all I’m saying is that it sounded creepy, probably especially to dad. I’m just saying. He’s fucking weird, Kate. Not in a bad way, but weird nonetheless. Guy has no personal skills. He honestly thought a good ice breaker with me, after shoving a gun in my face, was to talk about Bruce Lee because I’m Asian. And was then offended at my offense.”

“Scott,” she said, all frustrated.

“I know,” he huffed. “What I’m trying to get it is that you were always important to him. You even seemed to make him a little nervous to be around you. Like he was scared that you wouldn’t like what you saw. I think if Dad had enough time to cool off, and wasn’t so pissed off at the world, he would have noticed how Richie cared about you from the beginning. He just wasn’t good at showing it. Plus circumstances being he was kidnapping us didn’t really help, I guess.”

“How would that have changed his mind? He would still know he was a criminal, and a murderer, and Dad never had a lot of forgiveness in him for stuff like that.”

“I think he would have eventually seen that there is more to him than that, and that a lot of his craziness in the beginning wasn’t really his fault. A lot of that shit probably wouldn’t have happened if Kisa wasn’t messing with him at the time. Dad might have eventually figured it out, and maybe would even feel bad for him.”

“I doubt it.”

“Hey, I did. Richie really isn’t all that bad, now that he’s alone in his head,” said Scott. “Even though he can still be a real dick sometimes.” He smiled at Kate, then continued. “Look, you have a solid influence over Richie, Kate. You make him want to be a better man, and he tries for you all the time. I see it not only in the way he treats you, or the things he does for you, but what he does when you’re not around, because he thinks it’s what you would want. I saw how hurt he was when you died. I saw the raw emotion on his face. It reflected how I felt. I hated myself for failing you, and he did too. The next time I saw him was after Amaru attacked me. He was different. He looked after me and tried to protect me. I think it was for you, because it’s what he thought you would have wanted. I doubt he ever thought he would get you back, but he still wanted to do right by you.”

“I don’t think that would have changed his mind.”

“Listen. He took me in and showed me, not intentionally, a soft side I never thought he had. He had so few memories with you, but he clearly cherished what he did have. You were always on his mind. He was always talking about you, asking me about you, about our past. He wanted to know everything about you. He spent many sleepless nights looking for a way to save you, Kate. You were the most important thing in the world to him. If Dad saw that, the lengths he was willing to go for you, the fact he was willing to die for you, I think he would have changed his mind about him. How could he not?”

“Scott,” she interjected.

“Kate,” he said giving her a look. “Richie did a lot of bad things, but he was trying to be better. He loves you, Kate, it’s obvious to everyone. You are his world, and with your influence he became someone willing to risk his life to save the world. He put you, and everyone else before himself. He has become a pretty decent man. He will always be there for you, he will always take care of you, and he will always treat you right. And to top it all off, he makes you extremely happy. What more could a brother want for his sister? What more could a father want for his daughter?”

“I don’t know, Scott. I see what a good man Richie is, I’ve always seen it, but Daddy, I don’t know if any of that would make up for the things he's done.”

“Trust me Kate. Richie is good to you, and you are good for him. Not even Dad could be so blind that he couldn’t see it. I know that if they have been watchin’ us, that both Mom and Dad would try to move past the things he’s done, and see what you see in him. If I can, they can too. That man truly loves you, Kate, and I’ve never seen you happier than you are when you’re around him. How could they want to deny you that happiness? He may not be perfect, but he cares for you, and he will do anything to make you happy. And I, for one, am happy that you found someone like that. I wouldn’t trust my sister with just anyone, and if he’s good enough for you, than he’s good enough for me. And I know Mom, and even Dad would eventually see it that way too.”

Kate hugged him then. She was so worried that he wouldn’t approve of her being with Richie. The thought that her parents would be disappointed in her also weighed heavily on her. But Scott reassuring her was a huge weight off her shoulders. She loved Richie, and she wasn’t ashamed that she did. He was so incredibly good to her. She just hated the thought that her family wouldn’t see how great he really was, and that that would somehow break them apart. With Scott wishing them well, and showing her that he saw the good in him too, it made her heart fill with joy. She felt lighter.

“You guys about ready,” said Richie as he approached. “We’re gettin’ ready to head out.”

Kate was so happy to see him, she leapt into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, and kissed him. Richie looked surprised as all Hell at her sudden reaction, but wrapped his arms around her waist nonetheless.

Kate loved this man, with all her heart, and knowing that Scott accepted him was something she needed more than she knew. Richie was the love of her life, and she wanted him to know that before they walked off to try to save the world. . . again.

“I love you, Richie,” she said breaking the kiss and staring into his eyes.

“I love you too, Katie,” he smiled back, still not putting her down. He turned to Scott with Kate still in his arms, “You ready to kick some ass, Bruce Lee?”

“Bring it on, asshole” said Scott with a smile.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate sat in the passenger seat of Richie’s car, as he sat in the driver’s seat with a pair of binoculars. He was spying on the abandon ranch activity from their secluded spot on the top of a nearby hill. It was in the middle of nowhere, and should be empty, which would make it a great hideout or stash house. Nobody knew about it, and there was nobody around to see or hear anything that happened here. Although, it was clear when they got there that it wasn’t actually abandoned. There was someone inside, they could see him walking past windows and turning lights on and off as he went.

About ten minutes after they got there, while they were still observing, a car pulled up to the ranch. Three men got out and headed to the door. The man inside let them in, but not much else happened since. 

“Richie,” whined Kate impatiently. “We’ve been sitting here over an hour. How long are we just gonna sit here?”

“Until they leave or it seems safe.”

“Why don’t we just go in there and take them out? You’re a Culebra, and I have my gun.”

“Kate, there’s at least four of them in there. I’m not taking any chances. We don’t even know what the fuck they are. Could be humans, Culebras, or Vespertilio, which we know how to handle. Could be werewolves or witches, in which case I have no idea how to kill one.”

“But we haven’t seen anything in over an hour. What if they’re here all night?”

“Then we stay here all night.”

“Richie,” she pouted.

Richie sighed. “We have to be sure, Kate. We have to be smart about this. There’s no need to go in blind and end up dead. What good would that do?”

“Do we have to just sit here while we wait though? I’m bored.”

“What do you suggest we do? Play rock paper scissors?”

“Maybe we could do something else,” said Kate with a suggestive grin.

He looked at her then, eyebrows up. “And just what exactly are you suggesting?”

“Well, I was thinking,” she said. “I didn’t have a normal senior year. There are plenty of things I never got to experience. Like the simple things high school girls do with high school boys.”

“Okay?” He questioned.

“What I’m trying to say is that I’ve never made out in the backseat of a car, Richie.”

“Neither have I.”

“Really? Never?”

“Why are you surprised? I told you I wasn’t popular in high school. I didn’t exactly have girls lining down the block to be with me.”

“Not even after?”

“No,” he shrugged. “So you wanna hop in the backseat, and pretend we’re in high school at a lover’s lane or something? Is that what you’re saying?”

She shrugged. “Does that sound so bad?”

“No,” he said. “I guess not.”

She smiled at him seductively, “Get in the back then.”

He smirked then skillfully maneuvered into the backseat. She slapped his ass as he climbed over the center console, which made him chuckle. Even though he was much larger than she was, he moved with such grace, that Kate could only hope she looked that elegant as she made her way back there. 

When she finally got over the console, Kate straddled Richie’s lap, and settled in. She kissed him, slowly at first, then it picked up speed as she parted his lips with hers. They were going pretty hot and heavy, then she broke this kiss and smiled down at him.

“You know,” she said. “If we went to school together, I would have been interested in you.”

“No you wouldn’t,” he retorted. “I’m definitely not your type. I know all about that Kyle guy, and there is nothing similar about us.”

“Well maybe if I had been introduced to you and your bad boy ways, I would have seen things differently. Besides, I want you now. So why is it that difficult to imagine I would fall for you then?”

“Just trust me.”

“Nope,” she smirked. “I maintain that I would have totally done this with you in high school had we known each other.”

“You didn’t even do it with the guy you actually dated in high school, Kate,” he laughed.

“So? There’s a lot of things I would do for you that I wouldn’t do for him. I never wanted him to touch me the way I want you to.”

She kissed him again, her hands running through his hair. His hands ran up her back, and she moaned into his mouth. He felt so good when he touched her like that. He broke the kiss and looked her in the eyes.

“There’s just something about looking up at you, Kate,” he practically growled. “It just gets me all riled up.”

“I can tell,” she purred, rubbing his already half hard cock through his pants. “Something’s definitely all riled up.” 

He bit her lower lip as she rubbed him, then went back to kissing her with serious intensity.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

Alessandra and Scott were sneaking around the outside of a warehouse in Houston. Their spot from across the street had revealed nothing in the last hour, it was time to have a look inside to see if it was still being used, and by who.

They could see lights on in one of the big rooms from this side, that they couldn’t see from the other. They snuck closer to the building, peaking into one of the windows. There was nobody insight. Scott made a move to head towards the door that was only feet away, but Al held him back with a gentle shake of her head.

“Give it a minute,” she said. “We just got here. Someone was obviously here. We don’t know yet if they still are.”

Scott sighed, hating the waiting around. He was more of an action guy. Patience was never a skill he had, and this was killing him.

“So,” he whispered, breaking the silence. “You’re a Vespertilio. What’s that like?”

Al gave him a questioning look, then shrugged. “I bet it’s a lot like being a Culebra. Only cooler.”

“How’s that?” He said in disbelief. “Can you fly or something?”

“No,” she said all smugly. 

“Then what would make it cooler?”

“I mean come on, who would choose to be a snake when you could be a bat? Plus mind control. That can be really fun.”

“Mind control, huh?”

“Yep. I’d be lying if I told you that I hadn’t used it just to get back at someone who really pissed me off. I made one particular asshole do all sorts of stupid shit. Including, but not limited to, having him walk into his place of business naked while screaming ‘I’m a little teapot’. He should have just let me off with a warning.”

Scott laughed, “He was a cop?”

“Yep. I also knew a guy who ran for mayor at one point. He insulted me, so I got him to shout ‘I have a tiny penis. Would you like to touch it?’ in the middle of the restaurant we were in. Then I got him to drop his pants. Needless to say, he never got elected.” 

“You know, you’re kind of a bitch,” Scott laughed.

“I have my days, besides, they both had it coming,” she shrugged. 

Just then movement from inside the warehouse caught their eye. A man and a woman walked into the room, they were dragging an unconscious women between them. They dropped her along the wall in the corner of the room. There were chains attached to the wall, and the man put the cuffs around her wrists. She lay there, slumped to the side, being held up by her wrists. 

The man and woman we talking to each other now, but neither Scott or Al could hear what they were saying. The woman walked over to a desk they had set up on the other side of the room, and the man walked back out again. They watched her as she flipped through papers on the desk. The other woman was still out cold.

Snap! A twig broke behind them.

They both hurriedly turned around to see the man behind them. Scott drew his swords, and Al her knife as the man approached, snarling and growling in the most inhuman way.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth and Kisa were quietly walking through the Galveston Port, weapons in hand. They had to sneak in because it was after hours, but once they made it over that gate, it became pretty unadventurous. Not much was going on, since it was closed. So far they had encountered nobody, and it was eerily quiet.

They were turning around a shipping container at the end of the row they were walking, when they heard footsteps and saw the light of a flashlight. They put their backs tightly against the container, as Seth peeked out around the corner. It was just a security guard, making his rounds. He walked right past where they were, without even a second glance. 

They gave him a few minutes to get further away before continuing. When it seemed safe enough to not get caught, they moved on to the main alleyway to look down more aisles of shipping containers. There were hundreds lined up outside, not to mention the buildings towards their backs that undoubtedly held more within.

“How the fuck did we end up with the fuckin’ Galveston Port again?” Asked Seth. “There is no way the others have anywhere near this much ground to cover.”

“You drew the short straw, remember,” said Kisa. “This is your fault.”

“Thanks,” he said. “Sometimes I forget how much I love your bluntness.”

“You asked.”

They continued walking down another row of containers, silently. Looking for anything that would indicate that this was still being used by the group. 

“I know we were never close, Seth,“ said Kisa, breaking the silence. “But I want you to know I admire your strength.”

“Strength?” Asked Seth in confusion. “Almost everyone I know is stronger than me. Perks of being surrounded by a bunch of supernatural freaks.”

“First of all,” she said sharply. “We are not freaks. Second of all, you seem to do well despite your physical shortcomings.”

“Physical shortcomings?” He interrupted. “There is nothing wrong with me physically.”

“I mean that you fight well alongside us, despite the fact that you are not as strong as us. You keep up with us, and would be a tough adversary if it came down to that.” 

“I’m not sure if it was meant to be, but I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“That is exactly what it was meant to be,” she said, giving him a look. “But I was trying to get at more than physical strength. You are handling the Kate and Richie situation nicely.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Asked Seth with a glare.

“You also are in love with her, are you not?”

“What’s that got to do with it?”

“If it were me, I would have a hard time not being jealous.”

“Who says I’m not?”

“Are you?”

“Sometimes,” he admitted. “But it’s about more than that. It’s because I love her, that I’m as happy for them as I am. I want her to be happy. I want him to be happy. And if them being together makes them both happy, then I’m happy.”

“And you can just sit by and watch them together?”

“Look,” he said. “I’m not saying it’s not difficult at times, because it is. If it was the other way around, and she was in love with me, I wouldn’t hesitate to be with her. It’s what I want, but that’s not how it turned out. I know Richie will be good to her, we both do. And she’s good for him, we also both know that. Her happiness is more important to me than having her physically. And it’s not like I don’t get to have her in my life, just not exactly how I would have hoped.”

“You think Richard and Kate know?”

“No. Especially not Kate, and she can never find out. I think Richie knows to some extent, because despite how bad he is at reading people, he’s known me his entire life. He knows me almost as well I know myself.”

“You don’t think it’s weird he has no problem flaunting her in front of you?”

“He’s not flaunting her,” said Seth with a bit of a bite. “He’s just enjoying finally being with her. Besides, I encouraged their relationship, so I think he knows I’m okay with it. Plus I know if it was me instead of him that she was in love with, he would do the same for me. Just grin and bare it, knowing that she’s happy, and be thankful that she’s still in our lives despite all the shit we put her through.”

“She has been through a lot because of all of us,” said Kisa with a sigh.

“You played the biggest role in it of all” he spat. “This whole thing started because you wanted Richie to play your little snake games.”

“I needed both of you, not just him, and I know,” she said sadly. “I have already apologized to her for that, and she seems determined to forgive me. Kate is remarkably well adjusted considering all the shit that happened to her in the last few years. She has a strong soul.”

“The strongest I have ever seen.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Kate and Richie were still going strong. His hands hungrily groped her ass as she ran her fingers through his hair. She moaned as he squeezed tighter, and she rubbed her hips against him. 

“Mmmmm, Richie,” she moaned, as he broke the kiss to nibble along her neck. She tilted her head back at the combination of his teeth, tongue, and lips as they traced along her tender flesh.

He swiftly flipped her over, laying her on the seat, making her squeal in surprise. He chuckled and smirked against her mouth at her reaction. 

Richie stayed between her legs, and lowered himself onto her body, pressing them together. She wrapped her legs around his ass, keeping him tight to her. Kate bit her lip as he began to gently move his hips against her.

She could feel how hard he was as he pressed against her. It was making her incredibly wet. She licked and bit at his lip before pressing her mouth firmly against his. They both were panting and moaning as the kiss grew more and more hungry, and they dry humped in the backseat. 

He stopped to suck and kiss at her neck again, giving her enough time to catch her breath. She looked up at the foggy windows and smiled, and she nibbled his earlobe as he worked her neck.

“Oh God, Richie,” Kate moaned, as Richie continued rubbing himself between her legs. “You feel so good when you do that.”

“Oh yeah?” He asked, smugly looking down at her. “Just wait until it’s the real thing.”

“Richie,” she giggled.

He chuckled with her, then licked along her bottom lip. She bit his and gently pulled at it before kissing him thoroughly. He continued grinding against her, and received more moans as she started grinding back. 

Richie stopped what he was doing, and looked up at a noise in the distance.

“Richie,” Kate pouted, rubbing herself against him, trying to get his attention back.

“Shhhh,” he whispered.

He got up on his hands and knees and rubbed the fog from the window with his sleeve. He stared outside, looking at the ranch intently.

Kate scooted to the window, and turned to look at what he was looking at. All four guys were getting into the car. They drove off into the night, leaving the ranch in total darkness.

“We should check it out,” said Richie as the taillights from their car disappeared into the night.

“Yeah,” whispered Kate. “We should."

Richie moved in to kiss her again, forcefully and passionately. She kissed him back with the same desire. Then he suddenly broke the kiss and scooted out the door behind him.

“Where are you going?” Asked a stunned Kate.

“I told you,” he said. “We need to check it out. I’m going to go have a look for myself.”

“Wait,” she said, pushing her door open. “I’m coming with you. You shouldn’t go alone.”

“You got your gun ready?”

“Of course I do,” she said running up to him. 

As they headed off down the hill, Richie took Kate’s hand to help guide her down the steep terrain. She clung to him like her life depended on it, she couldn’t see shit out here.

They crept up to the first building, guns drawn. Richie made sure Kate was to his back, so if anything happened, it would happen to him first. They peeked into the window of the first building, which was some sort of large, metal shed. It was dark inside, they could only see blackness. 

Richie crept to the door and opened it slowly. He turned on his pen flashlight as they walked inside. It was empty. They looked around for any signs of hidden doors, but saw nothing. They moved on to the second building.

This was a garage, it too was empty. They could, however, see fresh tracks in the dirt, so it wasn’t that long ago someone had been in there. The third was another shed. It was also empty, but there were signs that it too held recent occupants. The barn was empty too.

They made it to the final building, which was the actual ranch house. The house itself was empty now that the men left. They searched all the rooms, but found almost nothing. There was a little office towards the back that had a desk covered in schematics, maps, and papers. It was obvious someone was doing research on something. There was a little list too, with a bunch of names crossed off. Richie took it and put it in his pocket.

“Maybe Al will know something about it. Or at least she might recognize some of the names,” he said.

They continued searching, but found nothing else. Before they left, Richie looked outside for the cellar door. He found it, and it had a padlock on it. He easily snapped it off using his Culebra strength. He walked down first, and held Kate’s hand as she stepped down after him. He pointed the penlight around the room. There were shackles and chains hanging from the walls. Four sets, each with a mattress in front on the ground. 

“Looks like they were using it to hold people after all,” said Kate, surprised. “I wonder where they are now?”

“I don’t know,” said Richie, “But it wasn’t that long ago that they were here. There’s blood down here, and it smells fresh. If we were only a little faster, we might have caught them.”

With that, they headed back up the hill to the car. Kate held onto Richie’s hand again, it was just as difficult going up in the dark as going down. It was dark as shit out here, she thought. Lucky he has good night vision.

They made it back to the car a little disappointed. They didn’t find much, and even though someone was still occupying the house, it was clear that this wasn’t where they needed to be. It’s purpose seemed to be imprisoning people, and with those people now gone, it’s job was mostly complete. They hoped the other’s had more luck. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Don’t let him bite you,” yelled Alessandra as she stepped in front of Scott, wielding only her knife. “He’s a werewolf.”

Scott flinched. Kate had told him about there being werewolves, but he never thought he would really encounter one. Fuck, he thought. Humans and Culebras he knew how to deal with, but he knew next to nothing about werewolves. Well, except that their bite was deadly to Vespertilio and Culebras alike.

“Got it,” said Scott, jumping in and taking a swing at the guy.

He was smacked in the chest by the man in response, sending him flying into the wall. He hit with a thud, bricks crunching at the impact.

Al lunged forward, striking the man in the bicep. He growled in response, grabbing his freshly sliced arm. She lunged again, but he hit her in the face with the same force he hit Scott. She ended up at his feet as he was starting to get up. 

Scott leapt forward as the man growled again. His face shifted into something out of a horror movie, half man, half beast.

“Fuck,” screamed Al. “He’s changing.”

Scott froze, not sure what to do. Suddenly Al was up again, and by his side.

“Now’s the best time to get him. He’s slowest in this state, once he’s a full wolf, he’ll be fast as fuck.”

Scott nodded as he stared at what was happening in front of him.

“You ready?” Asked Al. “One, two three, go!”

With that, she was off, rushing the beast. A blur came from the side and tackled her. It was the woman from inside. Al fell to the ground with the woman on top of her. She was holding her off by the shoulders as the woman snapped at her with changing teeth. Scott made a move to help her, but Al yelled at him to stop.

“Leave me!” She shouted. “Get him!”

Scott left her to wrestle with the woman as he headed for the misshapen man in front of him. With an expert twirl, he struck at the beast with both blades. He screamed and slashed away at Scott, as his body continued to contort.

Al was still wrestling the woman as she snarled down at her. She kneed the woman in the gut, causing her to grunt and lose her grip on Al momentarily. Al went for her dropped knife.

Scott struck him again, slashing his arms as he blocked his face from his blades. He got him again, cutting one hand off completely with sheer force. The beast growled as he looked at his stump. Scott took the opportunity to go for his head. He leapt into the air at the beast and spun around creating momentum for a big hit. His sword came down on the beast’s neck, severing it partially from his body. 

Al grabbed her knife and rolled on top of the woman. The woman then punched Al in the face as she made her move. She tried to grab the knife from Alessandra’s grasp, but she had too good a hold on it. She lowered it to the woman’s chest, as she struggled against her.

Scott’s blade was stuck in the guys neck bone, so Scott jumped again, landing both feet on his chest, and pulled the blade free. The beast was flailing about, more a reflex than a thought. He fell to his knees before Scott, who took the other blade and made a clean cut through the rest of the guy’s neck. His head landed with a thud.

Al was still struggling against the woman as she tried to force the blade into her heart. She had to distract her without moving her hands from the blade. She needed all the force she could get in her hands, as the women were pretty equal in terms of physical strength. Al headbutted her causing the woman to lose focus. Al used that to her advantage to stab the woman through the heart. 

The woman’s eyes sprung open and she shrieked as the knife sunk in to the hilt. Blood splattered Al in the face in a gush as the woman stopped moving and ceased making any noise. Al was panting as she looked down at the limp form under her.

Scott made his way over to her, and held out a hand. Alessandra grabbed it and he helped her off her knees. She looked over at the decapitated half changed wolfman. 

“Nice,” she shrugged. “That’ll get the job done.”

They raced into the building to get to the other woman, the one chained to the wall. When they got in though, it was too late. It looked like the wolf woman made sure she couldn’t talk. She slit her throat before joining her friend outside.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth and Kisa has noticed a lot of activity around one of the warehouse buildings. To get a better view out of the way, they climbed on top of one of the shipping containers a few rows away. Seth pulled out his binoculars to get a better look.

The garage door was open to this particular building, and a bright light was shining out of it. There were armed men at the opening, and shadows moving around within.

“Jackpot,” whispered Seth, handing Kisa the binoculars. “Normal cargo shipments don’t need that much security.”

Kisa looked through the lenses to see for herself, then handed them back. 

“I guess we found where they’re operating then,” she said. “We should tell the others.”

“Not yet,” said Seth. “We should watch them a little more before we make a move.”

Kisa laughed beside him.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, just I remember doing this with your brother when we were trying to take down Malvado. We used to sit in his car in the middle of the day, as he watched the meat packing plant with his own binoculars. He was just as serious as you are now.”

“Well,” said an irritated Seth, “This is serious shit.”

“I know,” she said. “It’s just the similarities between you two. It’s so. . .”

Seth waited for her to continue, but she didn't. 

“It’s so what?” He asked, taking his eyes off the scene in front of him to look at her. 

She had the strangest look on her face, and was grabbing the side of her neck. Then her head slumped forward.

“Kisa?” He asked in surprise. 

Then he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck. He reached for it, and felt something metal protruding from him. He pulled it out, looked at it, and then all went black.


	13. The Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They go to rescue Seth and Kisa.
> 
> Tidbit:
> 
> Al was laying in Seth’s bed, surrounded by his scent. She breathed it in in long, slow breaths. She thought of him, what he looked like, what he sounded like, the way he talked. She even thought of some of the conversations they had together. All thoughts directed at him.

Seth blinked into awakeness, wincing into the one bright light just above his face. He squinted around at his surroundings, as he tried to sit up. He was laying on the ground in some sort of metal box, a shipping container from the looks of it. Lord knows he looked at enough in the shipyard to know what they looked like. 

His head was pounding. He felt nauseous. He put his hand to his head as he continued looking around. That’s when he noticed Kisa laying a few feet away from him, and he suddenly remembered what happened.

He army crawled over to her, and shook her leg to try to wake her up. She groggily looked over to him.

“Seth,” she said, trying to sit up. “What. . .”

She covered her mouth with her hand and turned around, coughing and dry heaving.

Guess she feels just as shity as I do, he thought. Then he laughed, “I didn’t think you guys got sick.”

“We don’t,” she said when she calmed down enough to talk. “I don’t know what they did to us.”

“You and me both, sweetheart.”

He managed to get to his feet and stagger over to the door of the container, no surprise, it was locked. He started pounding on it and screaming ‘Hey’, over and over.

Kisa winced at the noise. “No one is listening or they don’t care. Can you please stop that?”

“You got a better idea, sister?” He asked sarcastically. 

“I’m going to try to get through to Richard. We’re still connected.”

She was concentrating on communicating with him. Her eyes narrowed and her face turned into a scowl.

“What?” Asked Seth. “He’s not taking your call?”

She gave an annoyed look, “It’s not that. It’s like I can’t get through. The connection is severed. I can barely feel him.”

Seth huffed, “Look, they’re gonna come looking for us once they realize we’re missing. As long as nothing happened to them, that is. Even if your hocus pocus isn’t working. They know where we were supposed to be, it’s only a matter of time.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After they arrived back at the Jacknife, the rest of the group waited around for Seth and Kisa. When it became evident that something might be wrong, Richie started freaking out. He had called and texted Seth multiple times, and even tried Kisa. All to no response. That was when Kate called Ranger Gonzales. Shortly thereafter, he arrived. 

They filled him in on everything that had happened since Willet. 

“Why didn’t you call me in sooner?” Asked Freddie. “I could have pulled some strings at the port. Got you some info before they just walked into a trap.”

“We didn’t want to bother you again,” said Kate. “We know you try to stay away from this stuff, and we understand. We thought it best not to get you involved unless we had to.”

“That’s kind of you, Kate. But now we have even bigger problems.”

“So you’re in, Ranger?” Asked Richie.

“I have my wife and daughter to think about. Not to mention the one on the way. I want there to be a world left for him to be born into.”

Kate noticed Richie was acting weird all of a sudden. He kept squinting and looking off to the side like he was hearing something.

“Are you okay, Richie?” She asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “It’s just I keep getting these weird feelings. Like when Kisa used to get in my head. I think she’s trying to reach me, but I can’t hear her clearly. It’s just fragments. Like little snips of words and images.”

“You think it’s the distance?” Asked Alessandra. “Like she can’t get a good signal from that far away?”

“No,” said Richie. “She used to reach me in Kansas from the Twister. That was much farther away.”

“Perhaps she was drugged,” she suggested. “Or it’s some sort of magic. They did it to the bullet they shot Seth with. Who's to say they wouldn’t do something like that again.”

Richie shrugged, “I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“So now what?” Asked Scott. “We just wander around the place like they did, and probably end up getting caught like they did too?”

“No,” said Richie. “We need to have a plan first.”

“Well your the genius,” said Freddie, disdainfully. “You got one?”

“It’s coming to me,” Richie said, smugly. Then he turned to Al and asked, “You think you can reach Seth?”

“What?” She asked confused. 

“Yeah,” said Kate, excitedly. “That weird connection thing you were talking about. Richie told me you were having dreams about each other.”

Al narrowed her eyes at Richie, “Of course you told her. Why wouldn't you? 

“I didn’t know it was a secret,” he smiled back.

She sighed, “It was only dreams Kate, like memories. It wasn’t communication at all.”

“What about the one you had this morning? When you guys both had the same dream. That wasn’t a memory,” said Kate.

“Yeah,” huffed Al. “But it wasn’t communication either.”

“But it shows you guys are connected in some way,” said Richie. “Maybe you can communicate, you just don’t know because you haven’t tried.”

“I mean,” started Al. “I can try, but I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“Concentrate,” said Richie. “When I was trying to listen or talk to Kisa, I concentrated on her.”

“Just relax and open your mind,” said Kate.

“What are you?” Asked Al sarcastically. “A Goddamn psychiatrist?”

“Would you just shut up and try it,” snapped Richie.

“Fine,” sighed Alessandra. “But I can’t concentrate with you all staring at me. I’m going to lay down in the quiet and dark guest room, and see if that helps me relax.”

“Why don’t you lay in Seth’s room?” Suggested Kate.

“Why would I do that?”

“I don’t know, but maybe if you’re surrounded by his stuff it will be easier to think of him, and that may make it easier to connect with him.”

“She has a point,” added Richie.

“I guess it couldn’t hurt,” said Al. “This is so fucking weird.”

She turned to head down to his room without another word.

“On that note,” says Freddie. “I’m going to get a map of the port. See if I can’t get a list of the people leasing long time space to maybe narrow it down. Maybe even some other tools that might help. In case your genius plan doesn’t work out.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth was pounding away again on the door, screaming for someone to ‘open up’ on the top of his lungs. He was really starting to annoy Kisa.

“How long do you plan on doing that?” She asked, dryly. 

“As long as it takes,” he replies, still pounding away. “Any more luck getting to Richie?”

“Not really,” she sighed. “I keep getting thoughts from him. I think he is trying to communicate back, but he’s blocked from me.”

“Perfect. Just fucking perfect.”

He went back to pounding away on the door again, because he could think of nothing else to do.

“What about you?” Asked Kisa. “You told me earlier about those dreams you had about Al. The shared dream you had.”

“So?” Asked Seth.

“Did you even try to see if you could use that connection to get through to her?”

“Why the fuck would I do that?”

“It would be better than pounding on that door for hours.”

He rolled his eyes at her, “I don’t think it works like that, Princess.”

“How would you know? Just try,” urged Kisa. “If it works maybe we have a shot of getting out of here. If it doesn’t, we are no worse off than we are now.”

“And how would I go about doing that?”

“Concentrate. Think of her. Think of what you want to tell her, what you want her to see. Do it over and over. Try to focus your energy at her.”

Seth sighed then sat next to Kisa against the wall. “Here goes nothing.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Al was laying in Seth’s bed, surrounded by his scent. She breathed it in in long, slow breaths. She thought of him, what he looked like, what he sounded like, the way he talked. She even thought of some of the conversations they had together. All thoughts directed at him. 

She thought about giving up more than once because nothing was happening, but she knew how important this was. She had to keep trying. She started drifting off, not fully asleep, but not fully awake either. It was in this state that she first saw a flash of something.

She is standing across from a tall, dark haired woman, and a priest stood between them. It’s just after midnight in Vegas, and they are both a little drunk, but not too drunk that the chapel refused to marry them. Al knows Richie will be pissed when he finds out, but she is so in love with Vanessa right now, marriage sounds like the best possible idea. 

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Al leans in and gives Vanessa a sloppy kiss. Then they run off to make this thing official. They didn’t make it back to their room, but the bathroom in the lobby worked just fine.

Al is sitting around a fire in her friend Paul’s backyard when she hears a commotion inside. She looks in the window along with Paul, and sees Richie being tackled by Paul’s younger sister’s asshole of a boyfriend. They jumped up to his rescue.

When they get in, Al sees the tears on her face along with the angry red marks on her wrists and cheek. She and Paul come to the same conclusion, that asshole did something to her, and Richie got in the way. 

They ran to his aid, pulling him off Richie. They dragged him out back together and taught him a lesson. Al kicked him repeatedly in the stomach as Paul beat down on him. He squirmed and screamed as he writhed on the ground, but that will teach him not to lay a hand on a woman. 

Then Al is walking through a cargo area, surrounded by hundreds of shipping containers on either side. She’s laying on top of one next to Kisa, looking across the way at a warehouse. She stares up into a bright light with out of focus, groggy eyes. She sees Kisa laying next to her. She sees an open garage door with light beaming from it. There are armed guards all around. 

Then there is a sharp pain in her neck, and she pulls out a dart. She sees the security guard pass them. Now she’s in a shipping container, and Kisa is telling her to concentrate. Back to the building with the guards around it. She looks to the right, they are at the end of the dock. She’s looking at the last warehouse building on this side. Kisa is whispering to her again, ‘concentrate on what you want her to see,’ and she’s trying. She sees the shadows inside the open doorway.

Al’s eyes shot open as she took a deep, heaving breath. She now had a pretty good idea of where to find them.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Freddie arrived back at the Jacknife with gifts. He was able to get a layout of the port, some night vision goggles, and an infrared camera. 

“Nice,” said Richie, picking up the camera. “Never seen one of these before.”

“That’s expensive,” glared Freddie.

“Trust me,” said Richie. “I have enough to cover it if anything goes wrong.”

Freddie snatched it from his hand just to be sure. “She have any luck getting anything from Seth?”

“Yeah,” said Richie. “She actually did. She says they’re in the last warehouse building on the right. She saw a lot of guards too.”

“I wonder if they upped their numbers since last night. I’m sure they know we’re coming.”

“It would be foolish of them not too,” responded Richie. “But they probably don’t realize we know as much as we do.”

Al and Kate joined the boys as they started looking over the port layout. It was a pretty detailed map, showing doorways, windows, stairs, and fire escapes. Al explained to Freddie what she saw in detail, and they worked from there.

“There,” said Richie, pointing at one of the fire escapes a few buildings down. “That’s how we surprise them.”

“We come at them from above?” Asked Scott. “How are Kate and Freddie gonna get down.”

“They're not,” he said.

“I swear to God, Richie,” said Kate, all flared up. “If you’re not including me in this plan again, you’ll be sleeping on your own from now on.”

“Relax, Kate,” he said. “You're just not on the roof.”

“Where am I then?”

“With me.”

“And where is that?” Asked Freddie.

“We, and that includes you, Ranger, are coming at them from the ground. I’m thinking ambush from different points.”

“So Scott and I are taking the roof?” Asked Al. “Makes sense. We can jump down no problem if we need to.”

“And you will need to,” said Richie. “You said you saw guards at the door and above right? Well guess which ones you’re gonna be responsible for. We take the others. Let’s stock up. We hit them as soon as night falls.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They made their way over the gate of the Galveston port one by one. They started walking through in formation with Freddie at the front. Richie and Kate behind him, side by side, with Al and Scott making up the rear.

Freddie was holding the infrared camera in front of him, scanning over the area before they walked through. The monitor attached to it, gave him a wide array of heat signatures because most things give off some sort of heat, especially when they sit out in the Texas sun all day. 

Every once in awhile they would see a red or deep orange heat signature scurry across the path or huddle in corners. They weren’t alone, but so far it was only animals, no people yet.

“Are you sure you’ll even see a Culebra or Vespertilio on that thing?” Whispered Kate. “They’re pretty cold.”

“We have some body heat, Kate,” said Al. “Just not as much as you. Plus it will also be person shaped and possibly moving, so I think we’ll notice.”

They continued walking until they reached the building with the fire escape that Scott and Al were going to use.

“I guess this is our stop,” whispered Al.

“You got everything?” Asked Richie.

“Yep,” she responded. “All good.”

She turned and started up the fire escape as quietly as she could. Kate stopped Scott as he put his foot on the bottom rung. She turned him around and gave him a solid hug.

“Be careful,” she whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Kate,” he whispered back. “You be careful too.”

Scott turned and gave Richie a look, a ‘don’t let anything happen to her’ look. Richie nodded in return.

With that he turned back to the fire escape and followed Al as quietly as he could. They watched him disappear over the top before heading on to their destination.

Freddie, Richie, and Kate continued on down the path watching the screen on the infrared camera as they went. When they made it to their predetermined observation location, they checked with both the infrared and a pair of night vision goggles to make sure the coast was clear, before they headed on top of the shipping container. 

Richie was using the night vision as Kate and Freddie looked on using the infrared camera, pointing it at the warehouse. Yep, there were definitely guards around it like Al said. Two on the side of the big garage door, and two looking on from above.

Richie kept scanning around them with the night vision, making sure the coast was clear, as Freddie and Kate tried to determine what was going on in the warehouse with the infrared. There were clusters on people in the building.

“It’s just what I thought,” said Freddie. “Looks like they added security expecting you to come look for them.”

There were individual heat signatures standing all over the place. There was also a group of maybe five or six huddled in the back corner, it looked like they were in a box or another room. They could also see six more in the loft area to the back. Then there were also two sitting next to eat other in what looked like another box.

“Those there,” said Kate. “I bet that’s them. It looks like their in something, maybe another room or one of those shipping containers.”

Richie peaked over at the screen. “I wonder what those other big groups are. Guards or civilians?”

“There’s only one way to find out,” said Freddie.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

Scott and Al jumped over another gap between the buildings, landing silently. Al had on the other pair of night vision goggles Freddie brought, so she led the way while keeping an eye out for any possible hiding guards. They hadn’t run into any yet.

They crossed one more building before making it to the warehouse, they could see the guards standing in the front. They knelt down and hid behind an air-conditioning unit within striking distance of the unsuspecting guards.

“Do you see anyone else?” Asked Scott.

“Nope,” she whispered back, peeking around the corner of the unit. “Just those two.”

“I’ll send the text,” he said.

He pulled out his phone to text Richie. It was a simple text, ‘in place’.

Now they just had to wait for the response telling they were okay to go.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie looked at his phone, “They’re ready. Time to go. You guys ready?”

They headed back down the shipping container. Richie jumped down first with cat-like reflexes as the ranger lowered himself to the ground. Richie then helped Kate down the rest of the way, she was too short to make it far enough down without hurting herself while jumping off.

Freddie and Richie loaded their AR-15’s as Kate pulled her handgun out of it’s holster. Then they slowly and quietly made it to the shipping container directly across from the open garage down. When they got there, Freddie made his way across to the other side of the container, and Kate headed up behind Richie.

They got into place, then Richie sent a text to Scott. It simply said, ‘go’, letting him know they were ready for their signal.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

“Time to go,” said Scott putting his phone back in his pocket.

Al took a big breath, then drew her knife from her pocket. Scott got one of his swords out as well. The plan was to sneak up on them and take them out silently so nobody knew what was happening. When Richie and Freddie saw the job was done, they were to take out the guards by the door.

Al looked back at Scott and held her hand up. She counted out with her fingers, one, two, three. And they were off simultaneously, racing noiselessly side by side to the guards.

When they got within a few steps, they separated, each heading for one of the guards.

Al snuck up behind her guy and slipped her hand over his mouth at the same time her blade slit his throat. Scott did the same on the other side. They both dropped them soundlessly to the ground. Then stabbed them in the heart for good measure. They couldn’t be sure what they were dealing with, with all four houses and humans working together. Neither body emilated, so they were most likely human. 

Pop! Pop! Two shots rang out from around the shipping container, one from Richie and the other from Freddie. Each hit one guard, one in the forehead, one in the throat. Both fell to the ground as Richie, Kate, and Freddie ran out from the shadows. 

They reached the open garage door just as more guards turned the corner at the noise. Freddie and Richie sprayed them with bullets, and some toppled to the ground. 

After grabbing the guns from the guards they killed up above, Scott and Al jumped down to join the group. They landed gracefully, and immediately started shooting at the rest of the guards.

The crew walked through the door, each facing the sides to get anyone who might have snuck off to the side. They took them down too.

One of the guards on the ground was not dead, and had enough strength to pull the trigger. A trigger that was aimed at Richie. He hit him in the shoulder, and Richie dropped his gun as the bullet tore through. 

Kate shot him in the forehead before he could get another shot off. She wasn’t taking any chances. She shot a few of the other guards as they writhed on the ground, just in case they got any ideas.

Most of the guards were down for the count, so they rushed to the container they saw the two heat signatures in. Kate ran to the door with Scott and Al by her side. Richie, who had picked his gun back up, and Freddie were behind them, covering them in case anyone else came out.

Kate made it to the door, but it was padlocked shut, she couldn’t get it to budge. Scott stepped in and snapped it off. They opened the doors and were relieved to see Seth and Kisa standing by, clearly hearing the commotion outside.

“I was so hoping that was you guys,” said Seth as Kate handed him his favorite gun. “But you couldn’t come any faster? We’ve been in here for hours.”

“Shut up, Seth,” smirked Al as she grabbed Kisa’s blades from her waistband and handed them to her. 

They started heading to the exit when Kate stopped them.

“We have to check the other container,” she said. “There could be civilians in there.”

She ran over with the group following her lead. Al broke the padlock on these doors, and pushed Kate out of the way. They opened the doors cautiously and peeked through. It was a group of terrified looking Mexican immigrants, huddled together.

They sat there, unsure what to do, or what was happening. So far the crew was alone, nobody else was shooting at them, and they saw no more guards. 

“These people need to go,” said Al. “I’m not risking my life any more for them than I already have.”

“Lárgate! Estas libre,” yelled Kisa at the group. “Fuera de aqui!”

The immigrants scattered around them, running for the door and not looking back. Now it was time to get out themselves. They were heading to the door when a voice stopped them.

“Looks like you’ve finally made it to the party, Alessandra,” said a voice from above. “Leaving so soon? But you just got here?”

“Vin. . . Vincenzo?” Asked a thoroughly confused Al, looking towards the voice.

“That’s right, gatinna,” he smirked.

He was standing on the loft balcony towards the back of the warehouse with four others. The group of men and women looked relaxed as they watched the scene unfold below.

“Oh my God! Are you okay, baby? What’s going on?” She asked, walking towards the balcony.

“You still don’t get it, do you? I was never in any danger.”

“W-what are you talking about, Vincenzo?” Asked Al. “I came home, I saw the apartment.”

“It was a nice touch, wasn’t it?” He laughed. “You were always so dense, Al. So sentimental. I knew you wouldn’t understand. Still, I thought you were smart enough to figure it out by now though. Eh. Either way, I heard you were working with the Gecko’s. Glad you’ve brought them to me.”

“What are you saying?” She asked, anger slowly pushing its way through her confusion. “That you’re part of this?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” he smirked.

“Vincenzo, this isn’t you, baby. Whatever they did to you, it’ll be okay.”

He growled, “Chiudi la bocca, would you? They didn’t do anything to me. I chose to join them. You never did know me that well, did you?”

“Why?"

“Because it makes total sense,” he said. “I was looking for a way out, and that’s when he came to me. He told me everything, and I knew this was the answer I’d been looking for.”

“I don’t understand,” she said, voice cracking. “When?”

“Several years ago. I knew things had to change when you wouldn’t shut the fuck up about it. Why do you think I said I would help you to begin with? I needed to make sure you didn’t find anything.”

“You son of a bitch!” Screamed Al. “How could you?”

“Trust me, anything was better than sitting at home all night, watching Wheel of Fortune with you. The spark was gone, and yet I had to listen to you prattle on and on, at work and at home. It was endless torture.”

Alessandra stood there, silently. The look on her face was a combination of anger and hurt. Kate wanted to comfort her, but didn’t know how, and they needed to get out of here.

Seth grabbed Al’s arm lightly, “Let’s just get out of here, Al.”

She didn’t even acknowledge his touch or statement. She wouldn’t take her eyes off Vincenzo. The man she had spent the last century with. The man she loved. The man she was worried sick about for months. And it was all for nothing. Was it all a lie, she questioned.

Seth pulled her towards the door, trying to knock her out of it.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Asked Vincenzo.

“Me?” Asked Seth, aggressively. “Well no offense, asshole, but this party’s over. I think we’ll be on our way now.”

Vincenzo laughed, then whistled. Guards dressed in black descended from all around, surrounding them. Some were showing Culebra fangs, others Vespertilio fangs. Some were either human or witch, they couldn’t be sure. Then several wolves joined the gathering circle.

“Fuck,” huffed Richie.

They tightened their ranks, forming a circle at the core, backs together. Even Al was alert enough to have her head in the game again. Looks like they were really going to have to fight their way out of it now.

Kate was looking at the group intently. There was something about one of the others that looked familiar, but she couldn’t place it. She could have sworn she had seen that one man before, and by the intense look he was giving her, he had seen her before too. Then it hit her, she had seen him before.

“Look,” she said. “That guy up there, to the left of Vincenzo, I know him. He’s the leader of that Itzpa cult that made offerings to Amaru.”

“You sure?” Asked Seth.

“Yes,” she said. “He must have joined these guys after everything fell apart. It would give him another chance to get on her good side.”

The guards tightened their circle around them, stepping closer to them in unison.

“Get ready,” said Kisa. 

Scott twirled his swords in anticipation. Richie opened his blade, as Freddie drew his sword. Kisa had the blades they brought her at the ready, as Al flipped open her switchblade. Kate and Seth were holding their guns.

And then it began. With a sudden twitch from one side or the other, they descended upon one another. Richie stuck close to Kate as they came at them, skillfully slashing and stabbing away at anyone who came near. 

Scott and the ranger were swinging away with their swords, as Al and Kisa grappled in close battle with their short blades. 

Seth shot a few of them as they approached, but quickly decided it wasn’t that much help. He stuck the gun in his waistband, and started swinging away at they guy who came next. Punching him in the neck, followed by the stomach. He grabbed the guys knife, and stabbed him in the chest. The guy bled out as Seth moved on to the next threat.

Richie saw Kate really had nothing to fight with besides the gun, which would be useless momentarily. He handed her his blade, “Katie, take this.”

“What about you?” She asked as she grabbed it.

He kicked a guy who ran up at them, catching him right in the face. The guy dropped his sword, which Richie then picked up and stabbed him through the heart. He emilated into dust in front of them. He swung at the next guy who came at them, cutting his head clean off. 

Richie then handed the sword to Kate, taking the knife back, “Here, this is better.”

She swung at a guy with all her might, as Richie went back to grappling up close and personal with another guard. He was ruthless, slicing and shanking his way through them one by one.

Al was now fanged out, her favorite knife knocked out of her hand. That didn’t leave her out of the game. She ducked a few slashes of this guards sword, then tackled him to the ground. She bit into his throat, and he gargled around his own blood as he tried to screamed. She tore his throat out as she pulled away, grabbing his sword in the process.

Scott was slashing away at a guard, two swords to one. Spinning and ducking to avoid one of his swings, Scott was able to slash at the guys stomach. His guts spilled out to the floor, as he struggled to keep to his feet. Scott used his second blade to stab him in the heart, turning the Culebra to dust.

Freddie cut the head off a gray wolf then stabbed behind him to get the Vespertilio sneaking up on him. He missed the heart, but was able to distract him enough to pull the blade out and get him again. This time hitting the target.

The guard count was dwindling, but there were still plenty left fighting. They were making progress cutting them down, one by one, but they were so outnumbered to begin with. It was an uphill battle. 

Kisa was slicing into the chest of a Culebra, dragging her blades through him. She hit the heart, and he became dust. Someone grabbed her from behind, and she flipped him over her head, throwing him to the ground. He too became dust as she took out his heart.

As she was getting back up from her kneeling position, a black wolf lunged at her back. She turned around just in time to see it, but not with enough time to do anything. A blur was in front of her before the wolf got to her. It was Richie. He hollered as the wolf bit into his arm, piercing his flesh and shaking its head violently as it filled his fresh wound with its venom.


	14. The Licking of Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie was bitten by a werewolf. There is only so much time they have to help him.
> 
> Tidbit: While on her knees she went for a double fisted hit to his chest, but he grabbed her by the throat before she could pull it off. He got to his feet, pulling her by the neck as he did. He looked her in the eyes as he choked her.

Bang! The wolf biting Richie yelped as blood splattered from its head. It fell to the ground limply. It’s blood now speckling Richie’s face as it laid in a pool of the same fluid.

Richie grabbed his arm and looked up, seeing Al crouched on top of a bleeding man, with a gun pointed is his direction. She had heard the commotion, saw what was happening, and reacted quickly. She finished the man under her with a blade, then pulled her 38 special, Ruger from her ankle holster, and shot the wolf in the head in only a matter of seconds.

Unfortunately, it didn’t matter how quick she was, Richie had already been bitten. The wolf venom was already working its way through his system.

“Richie!” Screamed Kate, as she ran over to him. She knew how dangerous werewolf venom was to Culebras.

“I’m fine, Katie,” he winced. He wasn’t healing, not even a little.

There were only a handful of guards left now. They were still surrounding the group, but they had backed off at the sound of the gun.

Seth ran to his brother. He remembered hearing about what happened to Alessandra after she drank some of his venom filled blood. He knew this was way worse.

“Get him out of here now,” yelled Al from where she knelt.

“What?” Asked Seth.

“You and Kate take him out of here, now,” she yelled back.

“I’m fine,” said Richie.

“For now,” said Al. “In a few minutes you’ll start to hallucinate. A fever will kick in, and eventually you will start to convulse. You need to get out of here before that happens,” she turned to Seth. “I have some stuff in my bag in the car to help him. There’s a jar with clear liquid and a purple flower in it, it’s wolfsbane. Be careful with it, it will kill you if it gets in your skin. There’s a syringe in the bag too. Inject one ml into the bite. No more, no less! He’ll need to feed before he passes out, or he will die. The wolfsbane will kill off the venom, and Richie’s Culebra healing abilities will keep him alive, but you need to move fast. The longer it is before he gets it into his system, the less chance of it working. Go! Now! Peacekeeper, cover their six. The rest of us will take care of these guys.”

Seth removed his gun from his waist and shot two guards that blocked the way to the door.

“Here,” yelled Al as they passed. “Take this.”

She threw Freddie her gun. She was more than capable of fighting hand to hand combat, but they might need all the help they could get if Richie didn’t make it to the car.

Freddie and Kate each shot a guard as they raced for the door. They made it through before the battle went on full force behind them. They didn’t get far before Richie whined and slowed down. The venom was already affecting him. Seth and Kate put their arms around his waist and helped him keep moving.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vincenzo hissed and leapt from loft as Seth, Kate, Richie, and Freddie exited the door. The other four jumped down behind him. They closed in on what remained of the group, along with the remaining guards. Al, Scott, and Kisa were ready to fight.

With their backs to one another, they closed in tight together, keeping their eyes on the guards that surrounded them. There wasn’t that many left now, maybe five guards and then the five that just joined the fight. They were waiting for the first move to be made. They didn’t have to wait long before a few of the guards moved towards them.

Kisa and Scott struck out at the moving guards. Al waited a little longer for her’s to get closer before making her move. She swung at him, steel hitting steel. It wasn’t long before the guard knocked her sword from her hand though. As it fell to the ground he swung at her again, catching her in arm. It left a huge gash in her forearm. She kept charging though, and knocked him to the ground.

Scott and Kisa where on to the next set, slashing away. They saw a few of the ones from the loft back away, clearly not willing to actually fight. They were busy fighting with their guys as Al finished up with the guy on the ground, stabbing him with his own sword.

Before she knew it, she was being knocked over. She flew back with the force of the blow, and landed on her back about fifteen feet away. She looked up at her assailant. It was Vincenzo, and he was wielding an evil smirk. She got up and faced him. She hissed into her Vespertilio fangs and ran for him. He opened his mouth wide, showing his fangs as she raced forward.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate and Seth were practically carrying Richie to the car, but he was too big and too heavy for Kate, and she was starting to lose her balance. Freddie pushed her out of the way, taking her side of Richie.

The cars were in sight. They ran as fast as they could, making it to them as Freddie pulled his keys from his pocket. He helped Seth get Richie in the backseat as Kate climbed in the other door. She placed Richie’s head on her lap, and ran her fingers through his hair. 

Seth grabbed Al’s bag from the bed, dumped it out, and got the jar and syringe. He was all too familiar with needles. He opened the jar, got the ml of liquid in the syringe, and jabbed Richie in the fresh bite like Al instructed. Then he raced around to the front passenger seat so they could get the fuck out of there.

Freddie already had the engine on, and as soon as Seth was in, they were off. 

“We need to find someone for him to feed on,“ said Freddie. “You heard Alessandra.”

“He can feed from me,” said Kate.

“I don’t know if that will be enough, Princess,” said Seth.

“It’s a start,” she said. “He can take some from me while we find someone else for him.”

Where were they going to find a criminal for him to eat with such time restraints, thought Seth. There simply wasn’t enough time. 

“Maybe if he took some from all of us, we wouldn’t need to find him someone. You know how he feels about eating civilians.”

“I’ll go first,” said Kate. Then she shook Richie’s arm to try to wake him enough to get him to drink. “Richie, wake up. You need to eat.”

She held her wrist to his mouth, but he shook his head at it and turned away.

“Please,” she begged. “I need you too. I don’t want you to die, Richie. Please.”

“I don’t want to hurt you, Kate,” he whispered.

“You won’t. I know you won’t, because you love me. Besides, Seth is going to help too, so you don’t have to take it all from me. Freddie will help too. Right Freddie?”

Freddie sighed in the driver’s seat, “Yeah.”

She put her wrist to his mouth again, crying as she watched him shake. The color was draining from his face, and he was dripping sweat. “Please, Richie.”

He looked up into her eyes, and watched tears spill from the corners. He didn’t want to, but he would feed from her, if only to stop her from crying.

Richie reared back, letting his fangs drop from the roof of his mouth. He bit into Kate’s wrist as gently as he could. 

Kate winced at the sharp sting of his bite as the blood flowed into his mouth. Then she thought better of the noise she just made as he started to back off.

“No. It’s okay, Richie,” she reassured him. “Don’t stop. I’m okay. You need to feed if you want to make it through this.”

She continued running her fingers through his increasingly dampening hair as he drank from her.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

Scott was sidestepping and swinging at his opponent with skill, unfortunately, his opponent seemed to have sword skills as well. It was a pretty evenly matched fight. Scott lunged forward, jumping for his opponent. He landed only a foot away, and spun at him, kicking his one sword from his hand. Then Scott continued launching a vicious double sworded attack.

Kisa used her little, Xibalban blades to block everything her opponent threw at her. She used her momentum to push him off balance, then swiped at his legs, knocking him to the ground. She was on top of him in an instant, stabbing him through the heart with one of her blades.

Al ran at Vincenzo full speed as he charged back at her. She raised her hands into a fight position with one arm blocking her face, and the other swinging at Vincenzo’s head. He started to block himself from the punch, only to be stunned as she instead kicked him full on in the chest. He flew back several feet, but managed to keep upright.

Al charged at him again, trying to use his surprise against him. He struck at her face as she approached, and she blocked him with her forearm, redirecting the force into an open handed hit to his chest. She then used that same open palm to hit him in the chin. His head flew back and she grabbed him by the neck, pulling him to the ground.

While on her knees she went for a double fisted hit to his chest, but he grabbed her by the throat before she could pull it off. He got to his feet, pulling her by the neck as he did. He looked her in the eyes as he choked her. 

Al was grabbing at his wrists, trying to free herself, when an idea came to mind. She let go of his wrists and clapped him around the ears while simultaneously kicking him in the balls. He grunted as she knocked his hands from her throat, then chopped him in the neck. She followed that with a jab at his gut.

While Vincenzo was trying to recover, Al swept his legs out from under him. She followed him down to the ground with an elbow to the chest. She harshly punched him in the face as she climbed on top of him, pinning his arms with her knees as she straddled him. She punched him in the face one more time, then roughly grabbed his face, turning it to expose his bulging jugular to her.

She reared back, and bit him, thrashing her head back and forth violently. Blood spurted from his neck as he screamed a blood curdling scream. Al growled as she drank from him. She ripped her mouth from him savagely, tearing the flesh from his neck.

She looked down at him, blood pouring from her mouth. There was no light in her eyes, they were filled with anger and hate. Al continued looking him in the eyes as she dug her hand into his chest. He screamed even louder as she wrapped her hand around his cold, black heart. Then she yanked it from his chest. 

He had a face of pure horror, pain, and total disbelief as he turned to dust beneath her. She remained on her knees, panting over his remaining pile of ash.

“You okay?” Asked Scott as he and Kisa ran to her side.

Al’s eyes were closed as they made it to her side. She opened them slowly and got off the ground.

“I know what we have to do next,” she said.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth and Freddie carried the passed out Richie to his bed. When they put him down, Kate rushed in to make him comfortable. She took off his shoes, jacket, tie, and shirt. Leaving him in his pants and undershirt. She covered him with his comforter, and laid next to him.

She was holding his hand and crying as Freddie and Seth left the room. Seth looked over his shoulder one more time before closing the door behind him.

“I’m going to call Maggie,” said Freddie. “Tell her that I won’t be coming home tonight.”

“So you’re with us til the end then, Ranger?”

“As I told your brother earlier. I need to make sure there’s a world for my son to be born into. I’m not going anywhere until this is done.”

He turned and headed back upstairs to make the call. Seth quietly made his way back into Richie’s room and sat in the chair in the corner. He was going to wait there, making sure Richie was okay, until the rest got back. 

Less than an hour later, Kisa, Scott, and Alessandra pulled up in Kisa’s Firebird. Al took the lead as they rushed to Richie’s room. She lightly knocked on the door, waiting for it to be opened instead of barging in.

“How is he doing?” She asked Seth.

“He’s breathing, mumbling in his sleep, but he won’t wake up,” he replied, softly.

“Did you do what I said?”

“Yeah, one ml right in the bite. Then he fed from all of us before he passed out.”

“Good,” said Al as she walked to his bed.

She placed the back of her hand to his forehead. Then felt for a pulse at his wrist. Lastly she looked at the bite wound.

“The wound is healing, which is a good sign. He still has a fever, so he’s still fighting the infection, which is also good. And his heart rate is pretty normal for a Culebra,” she paused to look Kate in the eyes, and smiled. “I think he’s going to be fine. Just give it time.”

She took Seth by the arm, and pulled him from the room. He was hesitant to leave Richie’s side at first, but then he realized he was leaving him in good hands with Kate.

When all of them were back in the hall, she said, “I know what’s coming, and when. We need to come up with a plan.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate continued to lay next to Richie, rubbing his arm for reassurance. He was still sweating profusely, and shaking. Every so often he would mumble incoherently, or whimper. It was shaking Kate to the core to see him like that. 

She decided she should take his glasses off so he wouldn’t accidentally break them. He was completely out now, but what happened in the car made her question for how long. He was clearly seeing things before he passed out.

At one point he kept referring to his father, and how he shouldn’t be here because he killed him. Shouting that he watched him burn, and watched them put him in the ground. Then he yelled something about Dakota, and how bad he felt about killing her dad. Asking for forgiveness and apparently being denied. He was swatting at his eyes and yelling ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to. She made me do it,’ before he passed out.

She hated watching him suffer, but there was nothing she could do. It was like he couldn’t hear her. The visions were so vivid that she couldn’t pull him from them.

Richie’s hands gripped the sheets suddenly, and he mumbled, “Katie.”

“I’m right here, Richie,” she whispered against his cheek. “I’m not going anywhere.”

She couldn’t help the tears as they fell from her eyes, and she eventually cried herself to sleep, still holding his hand.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth couldn’t sleep, every time he closed his eyes he saw what happened earlier tonight, or the end of the world. It was too much. He remembered what it was like to fight Amaru, how it felt to think all hope was gone. He needed to just pass out. In fact a no dreams blackout would be preferable. He headed upstairs to the bar and it’s abundance of liquors. 

When he got there, he saw Alessandra sitting in the near dark downing a glass of bourbon. The nearly empty bottle sat in front of her. 

“Easy there, partner,” he said as he approached. “At this rate we’ll run the place dry.”

“I had every intention of paying for this, if that was a concern of yours,” she slurred slightly when she spoke.

“Relax,” he said with a half smile. “I’m not Richie. He would have already had your receipt ready. I was just wondering if there was room for one more.”

She gestured to the empty bar. “Well, there appears to be plenty of open seats.”

He grabbed a clean glass and sat in the seat next to her as she poured herself another drink. She passed the bottle to him so he could fill up his. They both took their shots then refilled their glasses. They remained in total silence for nearly ten minutes, deep in their own thoughts, battling their own demons. The only sounds were them swallowing their bourbon, and the sound of new liquor hitting their glasses.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” she said, breaking the silence.

“Okay is a relative term,” he smirked.

“Then I guess I’m just glad you’re alive.”

“I’m harder to kill than I look.”

“You know, I’m starting to believe that.”

He raised his glass, “Here’s to near invincibility. Lord knows we both should have died more than once in our lifetimes.”

She joined him in his toast then they both knocked back their drinks. Since they had finished the bottle with the last shots, Seth went and grabbed another from behind the bar.

He poured them both fresh ones before sitting back down.

He kept giving her side glances, but she never even looked at him. She was too lost in her thoughts to really notice he was there. She was enough like him that he knew if she had nothing to say, she must be hurting pretty badly. He wanted to comfort her, what happened with Vincenzo was a pretty big blow, but he was really bad at that kind of shit. She had helped save his life twice now, and he shared a good amount of her memories, yet he wasn’t sure what to say now. He didn’t want to say the wrong thing, because like him, she also had a short fuse. The wrong topic at the wrong time could piss her off, which is a feeling he could understand.

“I never said thank you,” he said, settling for something not too deep.

“There’s no need. I wasn’t going to let you or Richie die.”

“Well it’s twice now you risked your ass for me. And Lord knows Richie would be dead right now if it wasn’t for you. So I just wanted you to know that I was grateful. Thank you,” he paused, took a sip of his drink, then continued. “Also, sorry for the other day. For accusing you of being the rat. You didn’t deserve that.”

She shrugged and took another drink. She slid the glass across the bartop between her hands as she focused anywhere but at Seth.

“Sorry to hear about Vincenzo,” he said, risking pissing her off.

“You and me both,” she returned.

“No really,” he said looking her full on. “Guy seemed like an asshole.”

“I spent over a century with that asshole.” 

“Yeah well then he’s an even bigger asshole for throwing that away.” He took a sip before continuing. “Don’t beat yourself up about it, cupcake. There is no way you could have seen that coming.”

“I should have. How could I not?”

“Nobody wants to believe the ones they love are capable of shit like that. That’s why it’s always a surprise when they are.”

She huffed then took another swig.

“You just need to find a way to move on, Al,” he said. “One step at a time.”

“I have no idea how to move on, Seth. Other than my husband, who died three months after we were married, I’ve never been with another man. It’s always been Vincenzo. I don’t know anything else. He was the love of my life.”

“I understand, but you’ve got to.”

“You understand?” She snarled. “Did you give someone a hundred years of your life, Seth? Only to have that person turn out to be someone you didn’t even know? Someone who decided that the end of the world was a better option then spending the rest of their life with you? Did that ever happen to you? No, it hasn’t. So how could you possibly understand?”

“Easy, easy,” he soothed. “I know I never went through your exact situation, I understand that. But I also understand moving on is hard. And I know you have to work towards accepting it, because you’ve got your whole life ahead of you. If you don’t, you’ll just be miserable. It’s a process, but I know you can get through it. Just take it one day at a time, Al. That’s all I’m saying. You just need time to figure it out.”

“I don’t want to. I don’t want to feel like this, Seth. It’s like I’ve been ripped apart and my insides are spilled across the floor. I’ve lost a lot in my life, but this hurts more than anything I’ve ever been through. I can’t do this.”

“Yes you can,” he said as he stood up and wrapped his arms around her. “And you have to. We’ll be here for you. Me, Kate, Hell even Richie. We fight for each other, we’d die for each other, and we sure as Hell are there when we need each other. Whenever you need us, you’ll know where to find us.”

He kissed her forehead as she limply leaned against his chest, arms at her sides. He took her face in his hands, looked in her glossy eyes. “You know, some might call you a bitch, but you are one badass, strong as shit, bitch. You got this. Give it time.”

She just blinked at him as she looked back in his eyes. A small twitch of a smile crossed her lips, and a little bit of the misery disappeared from her face.

He leaned in for a kiss. He didn’t know why, he wasn’t planning on it. He figured it must be because he needed some reassuring too. Near death experiences often bring people together. It’s something about feeling alive when you’re with someone else, when you need it the most.

He parted her lips with his, tasting the bourbon they were both drinking, tongue seeping through and finding hers. It grew in intensity quickly before she suddenly broke it off, pulling completely away.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Seth,” she said.

“Why not?”

“Because neither of us is in a good place. While the appeal of finding comfort in the flesh of another seems good right now, it’s not what either of us really needs. I’ll never be what you need, Seth. I can’t give you what you want. Hell, I’m not even who you really want. So why even start anything?”

With that she downed her glass and got up and headed for the elevator.

“Wait. Where are you going?” He asked, frazzled.

“I’m gonna call it a night, take a shower, and get this day cleaned off of me. I’m sorry, Seth. I really am, but I think this is in both of our best interests. I don’t wanna use you, and I don’t want to be used. The last thing I need is to wake up and regret anything else. Even worse, be regretted.”

He watched her leave the bar, as he stood alone. He always found comfort in the physical, and figured she did too. Was he wrong? They were similar in so many ways, but is that where they differed? He finished his drink and poured another. He sat there, thinking it over. No, he thought. That can’t be where they differed. It was something else. It was something she said.

It was the being regretted part, that had to be it. She didn’t want him to regret being with her. He gets it, she just found out that the love of her life was a fraud. She probably felt his choice to join in the destruction of the world was him regretting his choice to be with her. Even if it wasn’t, it probably felt like it.

Seth knew he wouldn’t regret this though. He’s never regretted a one night stand in his life, and he has had some questionable one night stands. Maybe if he made it clear that that is exactly what he was looking for, and nothing more, she would let her guard down. It was worth a try.

Realizing what was most likely making her make the decision to stay away, he figured she needed the boost as much if not more than he did. Her self esteem needed the boost. Nothing fires up your ego like a good fuck, and Seth always liked to be that good fuck.

He needed a good fuck too, to feel alive again. To remind himself of what they’re fighting for. He just needed it tonight, period. 

He knew she would be leaving eventually, but tonight they were both alone and in pain. Sure, he wasn’t usually into vampires, but it wasn’t like he had never been with one. He and Richie took over the Jacknife over two and a half years ago, he was surrounded by them. Some of the girls they hired were pretty damn hot, and very willing. He still remembered the fantastic blowjobs he got from Florinda. And Maria, what wouldn't she do? Oh, and not to forget about Abby, she was a little minx. And then there was Alexis. He suddenly realized Richie was right the other night, he had slept with a lot of their employees. And those were just the Culebras, he slept with a few of the human staff as well. He was starting to believe he had some real deep issues, but that was something to think about later.

A pussy is a pussy, he thought. And Alessandra’s was available, and needed a good pounding to remind her what they were fighting for too. It might have been awhile since she was with a human, but his dick was just as good as any. And by the looks of that short, balding, prick she spent the last hundred years with, he had nothing on Seth Gecko. Decision made.

He threw back his last shot and headed for the elevator, leaving the partial bottle of bourbon on the bar.

He made it to her room and pushed the door open. She wasn’t in it, but he could hear the shower running in her attached bathroom. He headed towards it and forcefully pushed through.

“Seth,” yelped a naked and surprised Alessandra as she was stepping into the shower. “What the fuck are you doing?”

He strided over to her and grabbed her, forcing his mouth on hers. She kissed him back before breaking the kiss once more.

“Seth,” she breathed. “I told you that was a bad idea.”

“I know,” he said out of breath. “I get it, I do, but I need this. So do you. One night, no strings, no regrets.”

“One night?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s it? No strings?”

“No strings. No regrets. Just two miserable people fucking away the pain. No expectations, no relationship, no nothing.”

“Okay,” she grinned. “Just don’t blame me when you fall in love with me. I’m just in it for the “D”.”

“Honey,” he grinned back. “You’re gonna be the one having a hard time not fallin’ in love when I’m done with you.”

With that, he went in for a rough kiss. Her hands found the back of his head, fingers running through his hair as he pushed her against the wall. He broke the kiss to lick and nip down her neck. She moaned then pushed him away.

He gave a questioning look before her hands reached for his shirt and pulled it over his head. Duh, he thought, I’m fully clothed and she’s already naked. I’m way behind, and no one likes to shower with clothes on anyway.

He undid his pants, quickly kicking them aside. He didn’t want to wait, there was no time for sexy, slow undressing. This wasn’t about a show, this was about getting what they both needed, a quick release.

She took the time to rub his length once through his boxers before finishing the job and ripping them from him. The firm contact on his cock earned her a moan from him. While she was still on her knees in front of him, she took him into her mouth, circling him with her tongue. His hips bucked and he grunted at the feeling.

She licked him up and down several times. Even sucked his nuts before putting him back fully into her mouth. God she felt good. It was clear she knew what she was doing, nothing like a hundred years to perfect a skill. He didn’t want to finish like this though. He wanted to fuck her, hard, and make her scream for him. That is what he needed tonight.

He pulled her up and pushed her back against the wall, kissing her forcefully. Without looking, he slid the shower door open, and pulled her in with him. They continued touching, kissing, and groping under the spray of hot water. Hands, lips, and tongues everywhere as they moved to the point of no return. 

He pulled away, and turned her around, kissing the back of her neck and shoulders. He placed his hands on her hips, as she braced herself against the shower wall. She bent forward, leaving his kisses, but giving him room to slide between her legs.

He reached around her to slide a finger across her first, testing the waters. He rubbed her clit with his thumb as he slid a finger inside. She moaned his name and pushed back against his hand. He slowly continued his ministrations, adding a second finger as she bucked against him. 

He removed his fingers and received a pout. It brought a sly grin to his face.

“You ready for the real deal?” He panted, biting gently at her shoulder. 

She nodded her head in response. He wasted no time after seeing her answer, as he slid all the way in. 

“Oh, fuck Seth,” she moaned, as he filled her.

He slid almost all the way out before thrusting all the way back in. He continued the action gaining speed and force. Neither were looking for gentle, they just needed the release.

He fucked her like he was dying, and this was his last chance, and she begged for him to keep going. Her moans and his grunts of satisfaction filled the room as they made their way to the edge. 

“Fuck,” he panted. “You feel so fucking good. You want more?”

She nodded and moaned.

“Say it. Tell me you want it.”

“Yes, Seth,” she cried. “Fuck me. Don’t stop. God, I need it.”

“That’s right,” he panted. “You need it. You need my cock.”

“Yes, mmmmm, fuck.” She moaned his name as he took her over the edge.

“Shit,” he grunted as he spilled into her.

They stood there momentarily, panting in the cooling water. He turned her around and kissed her again, jamming his tongue in her mouth.

“That was a pretty good no strings attached, one night stand,” she said as they turned off the water.

“It doesn’t have to end there,” he winked. “You’ve got a bed we haven’t even christened yet.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate woke up from her nap to find Richie awake. Like really awake this time, not shaking or talking to himself in his sleep. He was laying there, watching her, like he was the one looking after her. 

She put the back of her hand to his brow. The sweat had long since dried up and his fever had gone down. Now he just felt like his regular cold-blooded self.

“How are you feeling, baby?” She asked.

He scrunched his brows and gave her a half smile. “You’ve never called me baby before.”

“You don’t like it?”

“I like it just fine. It’s just new. You can call me anything you want, Kate,” he brushed a stray hair from her sleepy face. “And I’m feeling much better.”

“You think you’ll be alright?”

“Yeah, I think I’ll get there. With you looking after me, and all.” He leaned in for a quick kiss.

“I almost lost you tonight,” she said as she pulled away from his soft lips. “Do you have any idea what I’ve been going through? All I could do was sit here and watch you suffer.”

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“Don’t be sorry,” said Kate, hitting him in the chest with frustration. “Don’t do it again! You hear me?! Don’t! I can’t lose you, Richie. Not now.”

“Katie,” he said, cupping her face with his hand. “It won’t happen again. I promise.”

“Why do you have to be the hero? What happened to that selfish asshole who took this place from Malvado?”

“He died when he watched you die.”

“Richie,” she sighed.

“I love you, Kate,” he said, looking her dead in the eyes. “I’m sorry I put you through that.”

“I love you too, Richie.”

He kissed her again, this time a little firmer, a little more passionate. As he pulled away to say something, she pulled him back in, and the kiss grew. It was like two hungry people feeding at each other's mouths. She scrambled for air, not wanted to leave his lips. For all her thoughts earlier about how she would never get the chance, she needed him now. He was the man that she loved. The man she wanted to be with, and she almost lost this, all of this. He was the someone special she had been waiting for, and she needed to feel him, all of him.

She rolled him on his back with more force than she intended. He broke the kiss, and looked wholly confused as she got on top, straddling him. 

“Kate?” He questioned.

“Richie,” she panted. “I need you.”

“Okay,” he breathed, still confused by her sudden display of force. “I need you too.”

“No, Richie. I need you, now. I want you. I need you inside me.”

“Katie,” he panted, eyes growing wide. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, baby. Please,” she said, leaning down to nearly breathe the last word along his lips.

He grabbed her hips as she slammed her mouth to his. They moaned in unison as their lips parted, tongues dancing with each other. She frantically ripped at his undershirt, trying to release it from his pants. He sat up to help her get it off, then lifted her shirt off in one swift motion. 

She unbuckled his belt and undid his pants as he removed her bra with expertise. He dragged his hands down her back as he kissed and nibbled at her neck. Moving down to her chest, he rubbed his face between her breasts, licking and kissing on each as he did. She moved her fingers through his hair, gently tugging as she tilted her head back at the sensation of him. 

She realized her pants were going to be a problem. She would have to get off of him if she wanted to remove them, and God did she want them off. So, she lifted herself off enough to slide them off along with her panties. He did the same to his. She sat back down on his lap, and he stood fully erect between them. 

She looked him in the eyes then. Saw the lust, the need, the love in his eyes, and a dam broke loose inside her. Yes, she wanted him. She needed him. She loved him. He was the one, the only one. And she could tell by the look in his eyes he felt the same.

God, the way she was looking at him, it made his heart burst. He could almost cum right then and there. He loved her so much, wanted her, needed her. This is the moment he was waiting for, all he ever wanted. Three years ago, in the back room in the seedy titty bar, he told her what he wanted. And now he knew for sure that she was finally feeling what he was feeling.

He took a sharp intake of breath as she took him in her hand. His eyes rolled back as she ran the length of him, circling the tip with her thumb before sliding back down. She lifted herself up, and held him at her entrance.

“Wait, wait, wait,” he panted.

“What,” she asked a little frustrated.

“It’s just I. . ,” he said. “I always pictured me on top for our first time.”

“Why?” she asked, puzzled as she released him and sat back down on his lap.

“I don’t know. I just wanted to. . . do it to you. You know, so you could just enjoy the moment.”

“Really?” she chuckled. “You wanted to do it to me?”

“Well that’s maybe not the best phrasing, but yes,” he shrugged, giving a somewhat embarrassed smile. “Just the first time. After that we can do whatever you like. I’ll try anything you want, and do everything you want. And by the way, I think you would look amazing on top. So that’s definitely happening.”

“Richie,” she blushed.

“Just let me the first time, okay? I want to.”

“Okay,” she said biting the inside of her lip. “But you sure you’re up for that?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well,” she smirked. “It’s just you’ve been mostly dead all day.”

He chuckled. “Have you been waiting to say that all day?”

“Not all day. Just since you brought up being on top.”

He smiled and kissed her. “I’ve made a monster.”

“A monster? You haven’t seen nothin’ yet,” she smirked. “Well, what are you waiting for? Get to it big boy.”

“As you wish,” he chuckled as he flipped her on her back.

Her arms circled his neck and he went in for a fierce kiss. Her legs were still wrapped around his waist as he pulled away.

“You sure you’re ready, Katie? You really want me?”

“Yes, Richie,” she breathed. “I want you, baby.”

“Tell me what you like,” he said in between kisses to her neck and chest. “Tell me what you don’t like.” More kisses. “Tell me if you want me to stop,” the kisses continued. “Tell me if you want more.”

She nodded as she squirmed in his arms. She got it, he was going to make it all about her. She liked that, having that much control, while knowing all the while she was giving him the power to make her lose control.

He kissed down her stomach, and pushed her legs further apart. He reached her clit, and kissed that too.

“Richie,” she panted. “ I want. . .”

“Shhhh,” he cooed. “Relax Kate. Let me get you ready first. I want you to enjoy this as much as possible.”

With that he went back to his ministrations. Licking and sucking his way up and down, circling her clit, again and again. She was dripping wet and moaning before he slipped a finger inside. The now familiar sensation felt even better knowing what was going to follow.

He continued to work her, slipping in his second finger, stretching her, getting her ready for him. She was bucking against him, meeting the thrusts of his fingers. God, he felt amazing when he did this. Kate couldn’t hold out any longer.

“Mmmmm, Richie,” she purred, pulling his hair as he took her over the edge. “Ohhhh, baby. Yes, Richie, yes!”

When she was done quivering, he crawled up between her legs and gave her a sloppy kiss on the lips. She could taste herself on his tongue. She was getting used to it, and starting to really enjoy it. 

He looked down at her, and said with a seductive grin, “You know, when I was down there, your pussy told me it was ready for me. Are you?”

“Just shut up and fuck me already,” she said, chuckling as she forcefully pulled him into another kiss.

He broke the kiss with a more than satisfied grin. “I like when you talk like that.”

He knelt straight up between her legs and pulled her to him. He took himself in his hand to guide himself to her entrance. He looked down at her one more time, then pushed his way through. It stung, she had to admit, but it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. He felt even bigger inside of her than he did in her hand or mouth. He filled her.

She bit her lip as he pushed all the way in.

“You okay?” He asked, trying to steady his own breath.

“Yes,” she whispered. “Don’t stop.”

He smiled, then slowly pulled almost all the way out. Then slowly all the way back in. He did it a few more times, giving her a chance to adjust.

“Shit, Kate,” he hissed. “You’re so tight. You feel fucking amazing.”

“Mmmmm, so do you,” she moaned as he slid back all the way in.

He quickened the pace, pumping into her faster and harder. He kept at it, all the while concentrating on her. Checking to see if it was too much, even if she didn’t say it.

She watched the sweat bead along his forehead, and drip down his chest. He never looked so good to her before, as he worked hard to please her like this. He grunted as he worked, and she moaned alongside him. Every now and then he would mutter some profanities, usually fuck, or shit, followed by her name. She liked it, it was like his usually high vocabulary was lost as all he could focus on was her and the feeling of being inside her. 

She could feel the pressure building between her legs, knew she was close. “Don’t stop, Richie,” she cried. “Just like that, baby.”

He grunted his understanding and pushed on. He leaned forward, giving her a different angle, getting deeper. She used his new closeness to dig her nails into his shoulders, and he reveled in the sharp pain. He was close too, but he’d be damned if he finished first.

“Harder, Richie. Please,” she begged. “Oh God. Yes.”

He threw all he had into it. If she wanted harder, she was gonna get harder. She felt so fucking good, he thought. She was so tight around him, squeezing around him with every thrust. 

“Cum for me, Katie,” he purred through clenched teeth, as he pumped harder and faster. He just had to hold on a little longer, he could tell she was almost there.

“Yes,” she panted. “Oh, God, Richie! Right there, baby! Yes!” 

She bit her lip as a shudder ran through her body. She moaned loudly, screaming his name at her release. Wave after wave of pleasure flowed through her as he continued thrusting into her at full pace.

His rhythm faltered as he felt his own release. “Fuck, Kate,” he grunted as he poured into her, pumping his seed in with each trembling thrust.

When they both finished, he lowered himself onto her, placing his head on her chest. They both needed to catch their breath. They rested there, like that, for several minutes. Not saying anything, just concentrating on breathing. Then he pulled out and climbed back up to lay next to her.

She cuddled in next to him, placing her head on his chest, and running her hand along his stomach. He put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead.

“So,” he said with a cocky undertone. “How was your first time? Did you enjoy it?”

“Shut up,” she said, slapping his stomach lightly. “You know I did. You were there.”

He chuckled, “Yes I was.”

“What about you? Was it good for you?” She asked shyly.

“Katie,” he said kissing her head again. “You’re amazing.”

“I’m glad it was you, Richie.”

“Me too,” he said, squeezing her close. “I love you.”

“I love you too, baby,” she said. “Will you hold me? I need you tonight.”

“As you wish,” he smiled.

“Don’t let go.”

“Never.”


	15. Preparing for the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting close to the end. Our heroes have to save the world again.
> 
> Tidbit: They know we’ll be coming for them. I expect they will have them fully guarded.

Kate woke up still wrapped in Richie’s arms, which is exactly where she wanted to be. She could tell he was still asleep by his soft breathing, so she just relaxed back into him.

He was hard again, she noticed. It was just something she was going to have to get used to, she thought. He wasn’t lying when he said it was every morning, so far it seemed like it was. She thought it was weird and couldn’t imagine waking up like that every morning, but figured to him it was pretty normal. She wondered if he took care of it every morning, or if he let it just go away, like he said it would. Seemed like a waste if he didn’t do something with it.

That being said, she thought she would give him a special wake up this morning. She was still pretty sore from last night, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t do something for him. Hell, she was turned on enough by the thought, that she didn’t think it mattered how sore she was, she still wanted him.

Kate turned in Richie’s arms, and started stroking him up and down. Lightly at first, but slowly gaining speed and pressure. His hips bucked slightly at the sensation, then his eyes fluttered open.

“Katie,” he said, all sleepy eyed. “What are you doing, baby?”

“Morning, baby,” she said, leaning in for a quick kiss. “I thought I’d start the morning off right.”

“To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“You didn’t let go,” she smiled.

Richie moved in for a kiss of his own, “I made a promise not to, and I intend to keep all my promises to you, Kate.”

Kate smiled back at him, then pushed him on his back. She kissed him deep and passionately while she continued to stroke him. She bit his lower lip as she pulled away, then kissed and licked down his neck.

She licked and sucked down his chest, which was new for her. He usually did most of the foreplay stuff, but she found she liked giving it just as much as getting it. She flicked her tongue across one of his nipples, and he trembled and moaned. He obviously liked getting as much as giving too, she thought. So she kissed a trail to his other nipple and did the same. She received the same reaction. That was some information she would hold onto for later, she thought.

From there she continued to lick and kiss down his stomach. Teasing her tongue lightly across his abs before she made it to where her hand was still pumping away. She licked him from base to tip, where she placed a light kiss. He moaned again.

She looked up into Richie’s eyes with his tip still placed at her lips. He stared back at her with renewed lust in his eyes. Kate took the opportunity to lick around his tip, then down to that super sensitive spot just under it. His mouth parted as he panted her name, eyes rolling back in his head as she flicked over it repeatedly.

She kissed along his length all the way down to his balls. She kissed and licked those too, then gently sucked them into her mouth. He exhaled sharply, like he was holding his breath in anticipation. Then she licked him all the way back up to the tip, where she gently sucked.

Kate was sopping wet now. There was something about doing this to him, that just turned her on. She continued licking, kissing, and gently sucking him a little while longer, teasing him.

“Fuck, Kate,” he moaned. “If you keep that up I’m gonna cum.”

She stopped her ministrations long enough to say, “I don’t see a problem with that.”

“Mmmm,” he moaned as she went back to sucking his tip. “I want to do you, baby.”

“Okay,” she smirked. “But only if you fuck me afterwards. This time, I’m gonna be on top.”

“As you wish,” he chuckled. “I like when you talk like that, Katie.”

“What?” She pouted all sexy. “When I say things like ‘fuck me, Richie’. Is that what you like?”

“Yes,” he panted, visibly shuddering.

She moved up his body, kissing and licking her way back to his mouth. She was straddling him now, and he easily flipped her over onto her back while she kissed him.

He mirrored her earlier actions, kissing and licking across her body. He spent considerably more time working her nipples though, he knew how much she liked it. Kate moaned as he sucked at one while massaging her other breast in his large hand. He moved his hungry mouth to the other one, never liking to leave either out. He kissed the valley between her breasts, rubbing his face between them. She felt the sudden urge to squeeze his face between them, and he chuckled into her skin, loving being smushed between them. He rubbed his face along them even more feverishly, licking and kissing the sides of them in turn.

He worked his way between her legs, kissing down her stomach to the insides of her thighs. He kissed her clit, gently licking and sucking it.

“Mmmm, Richie,” Kate moaned. “I love when you do that, baby.”

He smiled against her as her fingers found his hair. There was something about her pulling at his hair that drove him insane. It brought out the animal within, and as the adrenaline kicked in he licked and sucked faster. Slithering his tongue up and down her, finding her entrance, circling it with his tongue before sliding it in. He worked his way back up to her clit, circling it too before sucking it into his mouth.

He lapped at her as she grinded against his face. The feeling was overwhelming for her, she couldn’t help the reaction. Richie liked when she did that, it showed him that he was doing exactly what she wanted. But sometimes, he wanted to make her squirm, show that he had all the control over her body. He grabbed her hips and held them down, so she couldn’t move against him. She whined when she lost control, but God did she enjoy it.

He continued working his tongue along her, faster and harder. Her gentle sounds of protest as she tried to move against him made him chuckle. The vibrations ran through her and took her over the edge. 

She came with a loud cry, “Mmmm Richie, yes baby yes.” 

He took this opportunity to climb up between her legs, thrusting into her in one swift motion. It took her by surprise, but it felt amazing. Her body clenched around him at the intrusion. 

“Oh, God, Richie,” she moaned as he continued to thrust into her. 

He moaned along with her, as she squeezed around him tightly.

She liked watching him as he pumped in and out of her. The look on his face was pure joy and lust, as he knelt between her legs. He had her legs hooked over his shoulders, getting as deep as he could with each thrust. His hands were on her hips, and she grabbed them, digging her nails in. He inhaled at the sharp pain, then bit his lip with desire. 

“Mmmm, Richie,” she panted. “I want to be on top, baby.”

He smirked as he thrust deep and hard one last time, causing Kate to yelp with pleasure, before he pulled out. 

He sat in the middle of the other side of the bed, and Kate crawled over to him. She straddled his lap. She stroked him while kissing him, fiercely. Then she took a hold of him firmly and lifted herself off him, positioning him at her entrance. Richie grabbed her hips to help her as she slid down his length.

“Mmmmm,” she moaned, as he filled her completely. “God, Richie. You feel so good.”

“So do you, Katie. So tight.”

She gripped his shoulders, digging in as she got used to the feeling of being filled. His hands were still on her hips. 

Kate started rocking back and forth trying to adjust to the different angle. When she got a little more comfortable she lifted herself up and lowered herself back down, trying to find a pace that worked.

“Fuck, Kate,” he panted, rubbing his face along her breasts. “That’s right, baby. Take your time. You feel so fucking good, baby.”

Kate started to find her rhythm and her grip on his shoulders lightened. She ran her fingers through his hair, gently tugging, as he kissed up her shoulder and neck. She pulled him back by the hair and roughly kissed him. He kissed her back with equal intensity. 

She was riding him eagerly as he leaned back. He held her around the waist with one arm, and leaned on the other for support. He used the new balance it provided to start meeting her rhythm, thrusting up into her.

“Oh, God, Richie,” she moaned at the new sensation. “Yes, baby. Mmmmm.”

She leaned her head back, and he continued to kiss and suck on her tits as she fucked him. 

Kate pushed him back so he was lying completely down. His hands found her hips again, and she ground down into him.

Richie watched as Kate bounced up and down on his cock with unmatched desire, gaining confidence with every stroke, whimpering and moaning. He liked watching as his cock disappeared into her over and over, and her tits jiggled in the most breathtaking way as she worked him.

He grunted at the sight, “Katie, you look amazing riding my cock, baby. Mmmm. God you look so fucking hot.”

“You like that, baby?” Asked Kate, smiling and bouncing a little harder at the comment, keeping her eyes on him. 

“Oh God yeah. Fuck that cock, baby.”

He reached for her breasts and gently massaged them, squeezing her nipples to her satisfaction, making her moan his name. He used all his new momentum to thrust into her with force.

Kate threw her head back in ecstasy screaming, “Oh, fuck, Richie. Oh God that feels good, baby.”

She looked down at him, biting her lip. His eyes were wide and glazed with need. The feeling was getting intense, she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep it up. She was going to cum for the second time that morning, and soon. 

She grabbed his hands, that were still fondling her breasts, squeezing them tight to her, and moaned. She dragged her nails down his arms and dug back into his shoulder, leaning over him. He hissed his pleasure at the slight pain. 

Kate was holding on the Richie’s shoulders now, the angle was different. He pumped away, faster and harder. He moved his hands to her hips, and watched as her tits bounced just above his face with every thrust. The sound of skin hitting skin filled the room at his intensity, as she met him stroke for stroke.

“Fuck, Katie,” he panted, sweat glistening across his body. “You feel so fucking good. You close baby?”

“Mmmmhmmm,” she whined.

“You want more, baby?”

“Yes,” she panted.

“How do you want it, Katie? You want it harder, baby?” He demonstrated by giving her a few meaningful thrusts. “You want it faster? Deeper?”

“Oh God yes,” she moaned. “Fuck me, Richie. Fuck me hard, baby.”

He practically slammed his face to hers, he kissed her so hard. He broke the kiss, panting his demand, “Say it again.”

“Fuck me, Richie,” she moaned.

He growled his satisfaction as he pumped into her, faster and harder like she wanted. Kate was holding on for dear life with the intensity of his thrusting. He grabbed her hips and pulled her to him, plunging her down further onto his cock.

Kate was whining and moaning his name, over and over as she edged close. He panted and grunted along with her, nearing his own release.

She came with a shudder, and an “Ohhhh God”, as he continued fucking her. “Ohhh. Fuck, Richie. Ohhh yes, mmmm.”

Hearing those words were the end for him, as he moaned, “Fuuuck, Kate,” shooting his load deep inside her. He continued pumping into her, as her body convulsed around his, milking his cock of everything he had.

She collapsed on top of him, and they lay in a sweaty, panting, trembling heap. Richie started to laugh as he caught his breath.

“What’s so funny?” She asked, shakily. 

“Nothing,” he panted. “That was just amazing. You, are amazing, Kate.”

“I think you have that wrong,” she whispered, biting his earlobe. “You’re the amazing one.”

He chuckled, “How about we settle on both of us being amazing?”

“Deal,” she giggled, still laying on top of him.

He ran his hands gently up and down her back as she lay there, face and one hand against his chest. The other was playing with his hair. She could hear his heartbeat slowing to its normal leisurely pace. 

She leaned up to kiss him. It was soft and passionate. Then she rested her head back against his chest, cuddling in closer. She was content, and he didn’t seem to have a problem with her laying there. So she stayed, snuggled against his broad chest.

Richie leaned down to kiss the top of Kate’s head. Then he said, “I know I’ve said this before, but God do I love you, Kate.”

She giggled, kissed his chest, then said, “I love you too, Richie. And you can say it any time. I won’t hold it against you.”

He softly chuckled against her head.

“Richie?” She whispered.

“Hmmm?”

“When did you first know?”

“When did I first know what?”

“That you loved me.”

“I think I loved you from the moment I saw you in that pool,” he said. “But I first really understood my feelings when I saw you in Malvado’s office. The fear and relief in your eyes when you saw me. The way you said my name. I just knew.”

“That’s when I knew for sure too,” she said. “Up until then I was just confused about my feelings for you. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, but I didn’t know why. That’s why I was so angry with you at the well. I just realized how much I loved you, and then all that shit went down. What I said to you was just anger. I didn’t mean it. There was love left, Richie. I knew it the next time I saw you. I still loved you.”

“I never stopped loving you, Kate. But watching you die, hearing those words, it broke me apart. I was lost without you, baby. But I needed that as much as I needed you. I wasn’t sure in the beginning if I wanted to go on without you, as strange as that sounds since we were never together to begin with. I knew I let you down, and that hurt, more than you know. But instead of giving up, I tried to be better for you. You changed me, Kate. I was broken, and you fixed me. I didn’t think I would ever have the chance to be with you at the time, but I wanted to be worthy of you. So from that day on, I tried every day to be a better man for you. Whether I was going to be with you or not, it didn’t matter. I loved you that much. I still do.”

“Richie. . “

“You are the only one for me, Kate. The best thing that ever happened to me. I know I made a lot of mistakes since I met you, but I will always try to make up for them. You are the most important thing in my life. You’re amazing, and I don’t deserve you, Katie, but I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you proud of who you made me.”

“Richie,” she said, tears dripping from her eyes and down to his chest. “I love you, baby. So much. I don’t know why you think you’re not good enough for me, because you are. I always knew that deep down inside you were. No matter what you were trying to be on the outside. You are, and always have been a good man, Richie. I didn’t make you who you are. Maybe I just gave you a reason to bring that side out, but that’s all, baby. All this, was always in there, and I’ve always been proud of you.”

She kissed him then, a gentle brushing of lips, reminiscent of their first kiss at the Twister. He pulled away to look her in the eyes, then kissed her back just the same.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth and Al sat along the bar, silently drinking their drinks, clearly avoiding the topic of what happened last night. Not that either was embarrassed. Quite the contrary actually. Both were extremely pleased, but figured just bringing it up was somehow breaking the one night, no strings concept. It was to be left in the past, no matter how satisfying it was to both parties. 

Plus Seth was nursing a righteous hangover. He never met someone who could drink him under the table, but he had finally met his match. Hell, he wasn’t sure if Vestertilio got hangovers, but Al looked like she was in the same boat he was.

“Can I ask you something?” He asked, breaking the silence.

“Shoot,” she replied.

“This might not be the right time to ask this, but who was Luca? I know you were married, was he your husband?”

That surprised her. It was out of nowhere, but she figured it must have been one of the things he dreamt about. She learned all sorts of things when she dreamt of him. Not all the pieces fell together though, so some information lagged.

“No. He was my brother,” she said, looking into her drink. “He was one year and one week younger than me. I was born in April of 1889, and he followed in April 1890. We were so close growing up. He was my best friend in the whole world.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “It must have been tough losing him. I could understand.” 

And that he could. His own brother was just shy of a year younger than him. Richie was his best friend too. As much as they fought, he couldn’t imagine a life without him, and didn’t want to. 

“Yeah,” she sighed. “It was a turning point in my life. All went kinda downhill from there. My father died three months later, just dropped in the fields one day. Heart attack, you know,” she paused to take a long sip of her drink. “Then a year later, I was dying. My poor mother. Lost her husband and two of her kids in less than a year and a half. I don’t know how she made it through.”

That was rough. Seth’s childhood wasn’t great, and he didn’t mourn the loss of his parents like a normal, happy kid would. If his family was better, happy like hers, the feeling of losing them would be unimaginable. Richie was all he had left, and all he ever really loved. He remembered the feeling of losing Uncle Eddie, and how he felt when Richie left. He didn’t wish that on anyone.

“My husband’s name was Salvatore Franco,” said Al. “He was a good man. He worked on my father’s vineyard for years. I married him when I was nineteen, he was twenty-nine. I didn’t have much say in the matter, he asked my father, and he said yes. When I brought it up to my mother, she told me there was no guarantee another good man would ever ask me, so I should say yes. So I did. He courted me for several months before we got married, and he was always respectful. He truly was good to me.”

“You said you were only married for three months,” said Seth. “Something happen?”

“He died,” she replied. “One of the machines got jammed on the vineyard. He tried to fix it. His arm got stuck in it as it turned back on. My father was there, he said it was awful. Sal didn’t deserve that. I cried for weeks thinking about it,” she filled her glass and took a sip before continuing. “I was pregnant at the time. I had a miscarriage. I think it was all the stress.”

“Jesus,” said Seth, rubbing her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Al.”

“They say time heals all wounds,” she said, finishing her glass. “But they’re wrong. The scab thickens, becomes a scar, but it’s still there, under the skin. You know? It’s always with you. You just have to learn how to deal with it.”

“And how do you deal with it?” Asked Seth.

She shook her glass at him. “It’s probably not the best way, but it’s all I’ve got.”

Seth grunted his agreement. “Me too.”

“You know, I haven’t seen my brother in over a hundred years. I still think about him almost every day. Stupid shit, you know. Like what would he think of certain things, or stupid inside jokes we had. Or even just wondering what he would be like if he was still alive. You’d think after so long I would have gotten used to the fact that he’s gone.”

Seth grumbled some incoherent sentence, followed by, “When I was in jail, I thought of Richie every day too. I did the same after he left with Kisa. There’s something about younger siblings that makes you feel responsible for them. I worried about him all the time, and how he was getting along without me. He was never good with people. He didn’t have anyone else to talk to. I can’t explain how bad I felt leaving him on his own like that. That’s mostly why I took the deal when Carlos offered it. The thirty million was nice, but I did it for Richard.”

“The things we’ll do for the ones we love,” she sighed. “You know the weirdest part?”

“What’s that?”

“I think Luca would have hated Vincenzo. His opinion meant more to me than anyone, yet I stayed with a man that I knew he wouldn’t like. How fucked up is that? I mean there’s no way he would have ever approved. He would have thought he wasn’t good enough for me, and in many ways he would have been right. Vincenzo wasn’t ever that good to me, but he was there when I had nobody. I think that’s why I stayed. I never looked for anything better, I just settled. But if Luca was still around, I don’t think I would have. He would’ve convinced me to leave long ago.”

“Yeah? Well now he’s gone,” said Seth. “You don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

“Nope,” she said. “I guess not.”

“And while I do, I don’t have to worry about Richie anymore either. He really can take care of himself, and Kate will be there for him too. He’s not alone anymore, yet I still feel responsible for him.”

“I guess the feeling never goes away.”

“He’s all I have left.”

“No he isn’t,” said Al, looking Seth in the eyes. “You might not be with Kate like he is, but she loves you too. She’s not going anywhere, Seth. Like it or not, she’s as much a part of your little family as either of you two.”

He laughed, “I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I am. I’m always right. Get used to it,” she smirked.

“Why would I need to get used to it? You planning on stickin’ around?”

“No,” she shook her head, smiling. “If I make it through this, I have to get back to my own life. You know I actually had one before I met you. Although, things have definitely changed. I am uncertain that I could completely stay away. I actually enjoy you three fuck ups. And wouldn’t hesitate to actually call you friends.”

“Oh,” said Seth, smugly. “Getting all sentimental on me are ya? That’s cute.”

“Shut up Seth. Don’t make me change my mind.”

He chuckled, “Relax, Al. We both know I couldn’t make you change your mind even if I wanted to. Besides, if I was truly honest, I could say the same thing.”

“Really,” she said in disbelief.

“Yeah, really,” he said back. “Don’t let it get to your head, but don’t be a stranger when this is all over either.”

Al chuckled as she poured them both new drinks.

“To unexpected friendship,” she said in a toast.

He clicked his glass to hers and they both took their shot.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kisa found Richie outback, smoking. She walked over.

“Nice to see you on your feet again, Richard,” she said, sitting next to him on the bench.

“Technically I’m on my ass,” he smirked.

“I see you haven’t lost your irritating sense of humor.”

He smiled at her and chuckled. They didn’t do this, talk. The way their relationship ended was pretty bad, leaving them both pretty angry about it. Then when they teamed up to defeat Amaru, they took a truce, but that didn’t make them friends. Sure, they kept in touch after they split up this time, he even helped her set up her bar, but a friendship was never going to happen.

“Thank you, Richie,” she whispered, looking at him.

He shrugged his shoulders and grumbled something.

“No, really. Thank you. You didn’t have to, but you did. Why would you risk your life for mine?”

“I saw it coming for you, and that you had your back turned. It was a reaction, really.”

“I’m not sure I would have done the same for you.”

Richie shrugged again. He didn’t expect that she would.

“You are a good man, Richard,” she said. “You always were, and I mistreated you when we were together. Yet when it really came down to it, you still put me before you. I don’t understand how you can do that.”

“Like I said,” he said. “It was more of a reaction.”

“Yet you had that reaction when most others wouldn’t. Most people wouldn’t react that way to anyone, especially their ex. In particular one who was as uncaring as I was to you.”

Richie didn’t say anything. In fact, he wouldn’t even look at her, he was uncomfortable with where this was going.

“I’m sorry, Richie,” she said. “For everything I put you through. You didn’t deserve that. I don’t know why it’s taken so long for me to say that, but I want you know. You were good to me, and I was selfish. And after I left, I left you hanging. Then when I saw you again, I tried to hurt you out of spite. I tried to show you how much better I treated Manola, by giving her the choice I never gave you. I treated you like your were yesterday’s trash. I was rude, and I was wrong. Do you forgive me?”

Richie sighed, shrugged, then said, “Yeah.”

“How is it so easy for you to forgive me, Richard? I was awful to you. I used you. I lied to you. I didn’t even appreciate all you did for me, even though you helped free me and kill my captor. I didn’t, not even once, think about what you were going through. I took away the only family you had left and forced you to help me. I didn’t care that you were lost and miserable without Seth. That it hurt you to leave him. I was only thinking of myself. And yet you forgive me.”

“Would you rather I didn’t?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I just don’t understand. I was your first, and I treated you so poorly.”

“You were not my first. . .”

“I know you slept with women before me, Richie. That isn’t what I’m talking about. You said it yourself when you bought me that bracelet. You were never part of a “thing” before, until I came along. Your first relationship was with me, and it must have been a heartbreaking experience. The worst part was that I spent so much time in your head, that I knew what your life was like, and I still treated you like that. I was just as awful to you as all those other women, and you deserved so much more.” 

“Listen,” he said. “I wasn’t great to you either. Yeah, I did what you asked, but in the end I must have been just as disappointing to you as you were to me. I thought I loved you, but now I know that it was Kate that I wanted. I was broken without her, and without Seth. And in the end, I was just as selfish as you were. Neither of us was what the other needed or wanted. We were both broken and both should have been better to the other. I was miserable without Seth, and there was nothing you could have done to make me feel better. I gave up and chose greed, money, and power over you. It was never going to work between us because we both had too much to figure out about ourselves. You, how to live a free life, and me? I had to work out my feelings for Kate, and figure out how to get Seth back in my life. We both made mistakes in that relationship, so I can’t be too harsh of a judge.”

“Yeah, you were not perfect, you made mistakes, but I believe I made more. Why can’t you just accept my apology without trying to bring yourself down? You treated me better, and risked your life for me. All I did was get upset when you did things differently than I asked, or thought on your own. Your biggest issue in the relationship was that you missed your brother, and were lonely because I was cold. I can admit that I have forgiven you for your choice to take the operation, but only if you admit that I was truly wrong with how I treated you.”

“Fine,” he said. “You were a complete bitch to me. And I was stupid enough to stick around. You had no right to be so angry with me after you left. It was your choice, not mine. I gave you what you asked for, then you blew me off because you had no further use for me. That fucking hurt. But it’s hard for me to be completely angry with you knowing my choices and my feelings for Kate were what finally killed it. Are you happy now?”

“Yes.”

“You knew all along that I loved her. Didn’t you?”

“Not all along, no. But I knew before you did. I knew for sure we were through when I saw the hurt in your eyes when you told us Carlos killed her. I knew you blamed me for getting her involved at all, and you would never forgive me for her death. I knew you wouldn’t forgive yourself either. You didn’t need to say the words. I felt it in the look you gave me. You tuned me out after that, broke the connection. I knew there was no going back after that. And that hurt. That is the reason I was so angry with you when I left. Not so much because you took the operation, but because I loved you, but you loved her. I did love you, Richie. Not as much as I thought I did in the beginning, but I did. But you loved her the entire time we were together, your heart never belonged to me.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“I know,” she soothed, putting her hand on his. “It wasn’t vindictive on your part. I don’t blame you. You tried, you really did. I think you thought it was love you felt for me too, but it was her that you were in love with. Plus I didn’t make it easy. I wasn’t nice to you. How could I expect you to truly love me when I treated you so poorly? It wasn’t fair of me, and I’m not angry about that anymore. You can’t help who you fall in love with, Richie. You have Kate, and I have Marisol. I just wanted you to know that I am truly sorry for the way I treated you, and thankful that you are still a good enough man to risk your life for mine. Even though things didn’t turn out how I expected, I am still very happy that I met you. My life would still be nothing without you, Richie. And I will forever be thankful for what you did for me, and continue to do you me.”

Richie still wasn’t looking at her, just concentrating on his second cigarette. Kisa laughed at his being uncomfortable. She knew he would be, he was never one to get into emotional conversations. Although, she suspected it might be different with Kate. He was always at ease with her, so vulnerable when it came to her. Kisa was happy for them. She thought they were both good people, and deserved to be happy. And in a weird way, she felt somewhat responsible for their meeting at all. And was happy that through all the bullshit she caused for them, she could at least give them that.

“Kate is a lucky woman to with you, Richard,” she said. “She is sweet and loving like you. I know you will both be good to one another, and you both deserve that.” She paused, took a deep breath, then continued. “There is one more thing you did for me that I am truly grateful for, and this is something that I’m sure Kate appreciates too, because I’m sure you do the same for her. My entire life, men always had an agenda for me. They took what they needed from me without consideration. Malvado forced himself on me repeatedly, and while Carlos never did that, he sure as Hell expected favors in return for every “nice” thing he did for me. You were never like that. You were the first man to only take or ask for what I was willing to give, nothing more. You never wanted me to feel like I owed you, and didn’t accept what I offered when you thought that’s what I was doing. You did all those things for me, and all you wanted in return was my love and appreciation. And at the time I couldn’t even do that for you. I do however, appreciate that more than you can even imagine. I’m sure you are just as gentle and caring to Kate, probably even more so. You are a gentleman, Richard, and a better man that most. I am sorry I didn’t recognize that sooner.”

“No real man needs to force himself on a woman. If you love someone, or even just have basic respect for them, there should be no expectations, and sex should never be owed to anyone,” he said. “I’m sorry you had to experience that. Nobody deserves to feel like that.”

“You see what I mean,” she smiled. “You are a good man, Richard. Do me a favor and give Kate everything she deserves. Make her never want for happiness or love. Never let her feel like she deserves anything less.”

“That’s the plan, Stan,” he said, smiling back.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They were all gathered in the brother’s office as Al told them about what she saw when drinking from Vincenzo. Like she thought, he was still a fountain of knowledge. He had a pretty good understanding of everything from the ritual itself, to where they were keeping things. 

“Their leader is human,” she said. “He’s a Satanic priest, and a born leader. Kind of like Charles Manson on crack.”

“Lovely,” said Seth with a sneer. 

“Did he know when or where this is going down?” Asked Richie.

“The ritual has to start on a new moon,” said Al. “And there happens to be one tomorrow night.”

“Well that’s convenient,” huffed Seth.

“That’s probably why they were making all these moves,” chimed in Richie. “They didn’t want to wait anymore.”

“Exactly,” said Al. “We did manage to throw a wrench in their plans, but unfortunately we didn’t ruin everything. They can easily get more innocents, and the Culebras aren’t needed just yet. There’s a specific order in which they need to open the gates. Werewolves are first, on the new moon. Then Culebras on the second phase. Followed by Witches on the third, and last but not least, Vespertilio on the full moon. We need to stop them from opening any of the gates though, so we move tonight.”

“Where do we have to go?” Asked Seth.

“It’s a bit of a hike,” she said. “Like Culebras are mostly of Mexican heritage, and Vespertilio are mostly European, Werewolves and Witches also have common heritages too. Witches are often of Celtic descent, and Werewolves are often Native American. Luckily they happen to be mostly western tribes. The gateway for them is in Texas, just its on the other side of the state. It's in a cave in the mountains of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Ground rich in Native American history, and for a reason.”

“Shit,” said Freddie. “That’s like what? Ten hours away?”

“Well,” she said. “I googled it, and yes. It’s a long fucking drive. I want to get started tonight, so we have time to really put a plan together before we get in there. We do not have the option to fail here.”

“Let’s get a move on then,” said Seth.

“Before we go,” said Al. “I’ve put some thought into what needs to happen. Vincenzo knew that they moved the other prisoners and the artifacts there a few days ago. He knew they were in one of the other caves in the mountains. This main cave forks off deep within the mountain, and they will be down the other path. We need to to find them, and make sure they cannot use them.”

“So what were you thinking?” Asked Richie.

“We split up,” she said. “Half stop the ritual, and half rescue the prisoners and get the relics. We need the strongest of us to stop the ritual. That is absolute priority.”

“Somehow I feel like I’m not included in that group,” sighed Kate.

“Sorry,” said Al. “But neither task will be easy. They know we’ll be coming for them. I expect they will have them fully guarded. I would imagine the ritual will be surrounded by Culebras, Vespertilio, and Werewolves. Possibly humans with big guns too, but probably not Witches. They aren’t known for their physical fighting skills. They will probably be guarding the prisoners. It would take a witch to hold two of them hostage. They are tricky little shits, but can be killed like any human.”

“What do you mean by tricky little shits?” Asked Seth.

“They will probably be using some kind of spell to hold the prisoners. They will also be using one to block themselves from you. Since spells have to be said, not just thought, you will hear them before you see them. They’re not really invisible though. Look for the shimmers.”

“You mean like Predator?” Asked Richie.

“Exactly like Predator,” she said, looking him in the eyes. “They’re dangerous, but when you see that shimmer, shoot it.”

“Simple as that?” Asked Scott.

“Simple as that,” she responded. “We should get ready to go.”

“Agreed,” said Seth.

With that, they broke apart to get ready to go. They each grabbed a small go bag, then met in the garage about a half hour later. They took two cars, Seth’s and Freddie’s. They headed out on the long journey with Freddie in the lead.


	16. The Last Hurrah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group is off trying to save the world one more time. Will they all make it back this time?
> 
> Tidbit: Seth was looking around frantically. The whispers were getting to him. They sounded as if they were everywhere, even inside his head. His head was pounding, ears were ringing, and his sight was blurring. Whatever they were doing was making it hard to focus. He felt emotionally and physically drained, and was fighting to concentrate.

The gang hunched behind a group of large rocks on the hill overlooking the cave entrance. Since Vincenzo knew exactly which cave the gate was in, it made this a lot easier. The national park was gigantic, and this would be nearly impossible to find without his knowledge of exactly where it was. 

Freddie brought the night vision goggles and the infrared camera to scan the park as they made their way across. They wanted no surprises. Luckily they only ran in to two people on their way over here. Both were taken out swiftly as they quietly made their way here.

They were watching the entrance now for about ten minutes, trying to get idea of what was going on. There were two guards around the entrance, and lights were hanging from the top to illuminate the path within. A few people had entered since they arrived, but nobody was dragged in with chains, so the werewolf prisoners must already be in there. The ritual had to start at midnight, which was in about thirty minutes, so they were probably already preparing.

“We’ve got to move,” said Seth. “If this thing needs to start soon, we’ve got to get in there now, before we’re too late.”

“This time we need to be quiet, no guns blazing,” said Al. “I don’t want them to even know we’re here.”

“They know we’re coming,” said Scott. “So I don’t see what the big deal is.”

“We need as much of a surprise as possible,” said Richie. “This needs to work.”

“Everyone remember what they’re job is?” Asked Al. “Richie, Kisa, and I will head for the gate. The rest of you need to find the prisoners, and free them.”

“And then what?” Asked Freddie.

“Then you get the fuck out of there,” said Al.

“No,” said Kate. “We aren’t leaving you guys in there.”

“Kate,” said Richie. “It’s dangerous. There’s no need for you guys to risk any more than you have to.”

“Leaving you guys in there alone is risking you, and I’m not doing that,” she said.

“We’ll be fine, Kate,” said Kisa. “Just do your part and let us take care of ours.”

“No,” said Kate, shaking her head. “We do this together. You can’t stop me from coming after you.”

“You can’t stop us,” said Seth. “This fight belongs to all of us.”

“He’s right,” said Freddie. “We all have a lot riding on this. I won’t take any chances.”

Al sighed and shook her head, “Fine. Just be careful, and don't take any unnecessary risks.”

“Let’s head out then,” said Seth.

As they got ready to leave, Kate went to Richie and wrapped her arms around him, “Be careful, Richie.”

“You know I will,” he whispered into her hair, as he kissed the top of her head. “If anything happens to you, Kate, I don’t know what I’ll do. So watch your back, and be safe.”

Kate backed out of the hug slightly, placed her hands on either side of his face, looked him in the eyes, and said, “I can’t lose you.”

Richie looked deep in her eyes, “You won’t. I’m not going anywhere.”

She kissed him then, softly. She didn’t want to let him go, she was so worried for him. More worried than she had ever been before. Almost losing him made her realize he too was fragile, breakable, and not truly immortal. She knew he had to do this though, that they all had to do this. If they failed, everything would be over, everyone would be dead. It would be Hell on Earth, and they would all die before letting that happen.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They took out the guards by the entrance with ease and made their way further into the cave. They walked in formation, in total silence. Kate was just behind Richie, holding his hand for dear life, as he followed Seth, Freddie, and Al who lead the way. Scott and Kisa made up the rear. 

After a few minutes, they could see the fork up ahead. It was time to split up. Kate gulped, and squeezed Richie’s hand. She didn’t want to let go, but knew it had to be this way. They had to release the prisoners, and stop the ritual. They needed to make sure this was really over with.

As they made their way to the fork, Al veered to the left. She turned around, looked Seth in the eyes and nodded to the right fork. Seth and Freddie made their way to the entrance of that fork, as Scott and Kisa each made their way to their respective spots. 

Richie pulled Kate to him and kissed her. It was by far the most passionate kiss Kate had ever felt. It had every emotion he felt in it, and she knew he was just as worried as she was. He loved her just as fiercely as she loved him, and it was killing him to leave her right now. He wanted to stay with her, protect her, but knew this was best. He easily took the more dangerous task, hoping nothing bad would happen to her during hers, but desperately wanted to return to her and hold her safely in his arms.

Kate knew he would stop at nothing to get back to her. There was nothing that he wouldn’t do to make that goal a reality. With that knowledge, she parted from his lips, and looked into his desperate eyes. He was trying to hide those feelings from her, but she saw right through his carefully placed facade. She always could. 

Richie backed towards Al and Kisa, still holding onto Kate’s hand. He held it for as long as he could before he made his way down the path to the ritual, leaving Kate to walk her own path to the waiting prisoners.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richie, Kisa, and Al could hear soft voices coming from ahead. The lights in this part of the cave were dim, but they made their way to the gate flat against the walls to avoid detection anyway. The thin cave path they followed curved to the right and opened up in front of them into a large cavern. They inched closer trying to see what was inside.

Al and Richie took the lead and peered around the corners of their respective sides. They could see the large gate towards the back of the cavern, and it was already open. Swirling, red and orange mist poured from it and surrounded the group of people standing before it.

There were four people shackled and gagged on their knees, surrounded by five people in long, black robes. Two of the prisoners had their arms chained behind them, those were probably the werewolves. It would break their arms if they tried to change.

Four of the robed individuals were holding the chains that were around the prisoner’s necks. The other was there to complete the fifth point of the pentagram etched into the cavern terrain.

In the center of the pentagram was another man in a black robe standing at a large, black altar, with the symbolic goat’s head carved into it. The horns of this goat head rose above and curled to the side and back. There was a lit, red candle burning in the center of the altar as well.

The man at the altar was chanting in what sounded like Latin, as he held a large knife overhead with both hands. Richie could see an upside down cross glittering as it hung around his neck. That must be the leader, he thought, the Satanic priest Al told them about. 

Al was looking around the cavern. She saw the ritual starting in the center, but she was busy looking for what else resided in there. There were several others, clearly guards, hanging around the cavern. From what she could see, there were four, but she couldn’t be sure yet if any more were hidden. 

She turned to Richie and held up four fingers while giving questioning eyebrows. He looked back again, thoroughly scanning throughout the cave. Then he turned back and nodded. He only saw the four as well. 

Al opened her switch as a sign to the others that it was time. Richie opened his knife too, but pulled his gun out from his waistband as well, and clicked off the safety. Kisa followed suit by getting her blades ready. Al dropped to her knee, and quietly unhooked the clasp of her ankle holster. She pulled her .38 out just as quietly, as she got back to her feet.

She took a deep breath as Richie raised his hand, holding up one finger. The countdown had begun. Two fingers, three fingers, click. A safety was clicked off behind them as two guards turned the corner. Guns pressed against both Richie’s and Kisa’s skulls.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth and Freddie led the way down the other fork in the cave. It grew darker the further they traveled down it. The path weaved through the mountain, and seemed to never end. They were hoping they were close to where they were keeping the others, but couldn’t be certain.

It was silent in the cave, and eerie in the dark patches between the hanging lights, which were growing further and further apart. Although she couldn’t see anything, Kate felt eyes on her all around. Like they were looming in the darkness. 

She wasn’t sure exactly what they were looking for, or how the prisoners would be kept. She was just hoping that they were reachable, and that they would have enough time to get to the others when they finished here. 

They turned another corner in the cave and could see a relatively bright light not that far in the distance. They however were surrounded in complete darkness. It was so dark, it felt like the walls were caving in. 

As they approached the lighted area, the cave widened, it was now double the width they had been walking though. It wasn’t long before the whispers started. The disembodied voices swirled around them in a whirlwind, making them dizzy. 

Kate felt lightheaded as the voices seemed to surround her, smother her even. The air was thick, choking her with every breath. It seemed as though they were all around them, but nobody was in sight. Al was right, you do hear them before you see them.

Seth clicked the safety off his six-shooter. A sound echoed by Freddie and Kate doing the same. Scott unsheathed his swords as he got ready for whatever was coming. They stood close to one another, not sure what to expect, but looking for the shimmers like they were told to.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kisa was shoved to her knees in the dirt of the cavern beside Richie and Al. Each had a semi-automatic pointed at the base of their skull, forcing them to tilt their heads towards the ground.

The ritual had stopped as soon as they entered. The man from the middle of the pentagram was walking towards them now, smiling, his black robe billowing around him.

“I knew it was only a matter of time before you barged in here,” he smirked. “But what an entrance.”

He had left his large knife on the altar and came to them unarmed. Clearly he didn’t see them as any real threat, perhaps it was because he was now surrounded by six guards armed with big guns.

“You know, Alessandra,” he continued. “Vincenzo was possibly the best find I ever had. He honestly is the reason we have come so far. I mean I was lost without him,” he chuckled. “It would have taken me decades to do this on my own. It’s sad to see him go, but . . . we live and we learn, and I’ve learned that people are replaceable. Even good ones.” He paused before continuing. “I wanted to recruit you too, you know. But he always told me I could never count on you. But here you are, bringing me the final two pieces to the puzzle. I guess he never truly appreciated you.”

“Fuck you,” spat Al.

“You know,” he smirked. “If I wasn’t so busy at the moment, I’d let you. I heard you’re particularly good with that mouth of yours. That’s why he stayed all those years. To feel those sweet lips around his cock.”

Al just looked back at him, indignantly. 

“Oh, didn’t like that? He spent the last hundred years turning you into a ripe, little whore, and now you have no one to spread those legs for. Or,” he said turning to Richie. “Did she already spread them for you? Hmmm? Or maybe your brother? Doesn’t matter. When all’s said and done, I’m sure the master will let me keep you. Then you can spend the next fifty years choking on my cock.”

“Fifty years?” Laughed Al. “You’d be lucky if your master let you live another fifty minutes after he gets out.”

“Yeah,” chimed in Richie. “He thinks humans are the root of all evil, and as far as I can tell, you fall into that category.”

“Through him, I am more than human. I am his savior, his salvation, his tool to spread the gospel. And when the world is finally his, I will sit beside him.”

“God help me,” said Al. “You are so full of yourself.”

“Your God can’t help you now,” he smirked. “But mine, mine will soon be free. And he will rid the world of all atrocities.”

“Like he said,” said Kisa. “You are one of those atrocities. I’ve known many leaders and would be kings and queens. Trust me. You mean nothing to him.”

“I guess we’ll see,” he said. “Won’t we. I mean, now I have everything that I need to free him. It’s only a matter of time.” 

He gave them all an evil smile then looked at the guards surrounding them, “Entertain our guests, would you? I have a ritual to finish.

He turned back to the pentagram. That’s when all three were simultaneously hit in the face with the butts of the semi-automatics that were being held to their heads.

Richie fell to his hands after the blow. He spit out some blood as he righted himself back on his knees, “Aren’t you the least bit concerned about where the other’s are?”

The man stopped just before entering the pentagram, “No. They’ll be taken care of too. I have someone waiting for them as well.”

The beatings continued as he entered the center again. The ritual was back on.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth was looking around frantically. The whispers were getting to him. They sounded as if they were everywhere, even inside his head. His head was pounding, ears were ringing, and his sight was blurring. Whatever they were doing was making it hard to focus. He felt emotionally and physically drained and was fighting to concentrate. 

He couldn’t tell how many there were either. Three? Thirty? It was impossible to tell. Then he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

There, to the left, he thought. There was a shimmer in that corner. He was sure of it. He watched it, looking for the same movement. When he saw it again, it was just the slightest movement, but he knew he saw it this time.

Bang! Seth shot straight at whatever was moving. There was a grunt, and a man fell to his knees out of nowhere. Seth shot at him again, making sure he was good and dead.

The noise from the gun seemed to startle some of the other chanters, as both Freddie and Scott noticed slight movement as well. Freddie shot at what he saw, as Scott lunged forward with his sword.

A woman fell at Freddie’s bullet, crumbling to the ground. Scott sliced at the shimmer in front of him, catching another man with his blade. He caught the man in the arm, but the new injury made the man lose focus. He stopped chanting and became fully visible. Scott stabbed him in the heart and he fell to the ground as Scott pulled the blade free. 

The chanting was still surrounding them. They reformed into their back to back huddle in the center of the cave.

“Do you see anymore?” Asked Seth.

“No,” said Freddie.

“I say we just start shooting then,” said Seth. “I’m done playing hide and seek.”

Seth pulled a second gun from his waistband and clicked off the safety. He shot a couple times at his side of the cave, not hitting anyone. Freddie and Kate did the same. None of the random shots hit anyone, but Kate’s was close enough to startle whoever was closest. She saw the shimmer and shot again, this time hitting a woman. She fell to the ground with a gaping hole in the center of her face.

It was chaos after that as the chanting continued. Shots were going off everywhere and Scott was slashing away. The witches had to remain still, or their movement would give them away. They were sitting ducks. 

Scott found another one, taking him down with quick strikes. Freddie and Kate each shot another as Seth took down two. They were dropping like flies, but it sounded like only one more voice was chanting. 

The pounding was back in Seth’s head. Everyone else was feeling it again too. They were back together in the center looking for the source of the voice, but it swirled around them, echoing in the cave. 

“Come on,” sighed Seth, becoming dizzy and disorientated. “Where the fuck is this guy? We don’t have all night.”

“Look,” said Kate. “I only hear one. We need to find the prisoners. Maybe we should split up.”

“Good idea,” said Seth. “You and Scott go look for them. The ranger and I will take care of things here.”

Kate and Scott headed off down the path to the heavily lighted area, still at the ready because they had no idea what was waiting for them. As they walked into the light, they saw a cell towards the back. Inside the bars were ten people chained to the wall and gagged. Kate and Scott ran over.

Scott busted the padlock off the door to the cell and they made their way inside. Kate un-gagged the woman closest to the door.

“Thanks,” said the woman, her eyes flashed into an icy blue. “Now untie me. I can help.”

Scott broke the chains and they made their way to the next one. The newly freed woman helped break chains off another one of the prisoners as well.

Seth and Freddie were slowly losing focus as they continued searching for the last remaining witch.

“Talk to me, ranger,” said Seth. “You seeing anything? I’m having a hard time focusing here.”

“Me too,” replied Freddie. “The son of a bitch has my brain all scrambled. I haven’t seen shit.”

“Fucker doesn’t scare easily. I’ll give him that. Emptied nearly four guns around him and he hasn’t budged.”

Just then a blur lunged through the darkness. There was a gargled scream as a large, man fell on top of the remaining witch. The chanting stopped as the witch’s screams filled the air. The screams finally stopped when the man tore his throat out.

Kate and Scott appeared around the corner, surrounded by the prisoners as the man stood, bloody faced, and turned to Seth and Freddie. 

“I’d like you two to meet Josef,” said Kate, pointing at the man.

Josef lowered its head in response. Seth and Freddie gave him uneasy smiles back.

“He, like the rest of the pure-bloods, is gonna help us take them down,” said Kate.

“That’s right,” he said, as he flashed pure black eyes and Vespertilio fangs. “Payback’s a bitch.”

“What are we waiting for then?” Asked Seth.

With that they turned and raced back down the cave. They needed to get to the others in a hurry to make sure they stopped the ritual.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A fresh gash quickly healed on Richie’s forehead as Kisa’s nose unbent back into shape. Al grunted as her jaw snapped back into place. 

“Oh Fuck,” she coughed. “You guys suck.” She grunted again as she received another kick to the gut.

“I’m going to enjoy tearing you to shreds,” said Kisa, eyeing the guy who focused on beating her the last few minutes.

He smirked down at her, then slapped her across the face.

“I’m gonna need you to wipe that stupid grin off of your face,” rang out Seth’s voice as he walked through the entrance to the cavern. Then he shot the guard right between the eyes. “Oops. Looks like I did it for you.”

The rest of the group, sans innocent human prisoners, piled in behind him. It was an odd group, two witches, two Vespertilio, one Culebra, one peacekeeper, and two out of place humans, to the rescue. 

The leader looked up from his altar at the intrusion, but didn’t stop his chanting. He was too far into the ritual to stop now. 

The remaining guards opened fire at the group, and they scattered around, firing back at them. Richie took this opportunity to shift into his Culebra form and lunge at the guard behind him. Kisa and Al followed suit, attacking the other guard close by.

Richie knocked the gun out of his guard’s hands and punched him in the nose. Then he threw his left hand out, opening his third eye. He slapped it against the guards head and told him to go to Hell. The guy turned and slowly walked to the open gateway to whatever Hell dimension was behind them.

Richie ran to Kate’s side as the man walked to his demise. There was no way he was going to let anything happen to her. 

Together, Al and Kisa finished ripping apart the guard that beat up Al. Then they made a move towards the pentagram. They could see the other Vespertilio doing the same from the other side.

Scott lost his swords after knocking to gun from a guard. He was now fighting hand to hand combat with that guard, who just so happened to be another Culebra. It was a vicious, snarlly fight, filled with hisses and growls.

Kate shot one of the black robed guys in the pentagram just as Richie reached her. The guy fell to the ground, dropping the chain he held. The human prisoner crawled away as fast as she could, trying to get to safety. 

Seth raised his gun to shoot one of the guards. Click. He was empty.

“Fuck,” he yelled, ducking for cover as the guy aimed back. 

Freddie shot him as he was distracted by Seth.

One of the Vespertilio grabbed the lone shooter from behind as he focused on Freddie. She tore into his neck with her fangs. Now it was just what remained in the pentagram.

The look on the leader’s face was furious, but not for long. His neck snapped back as if yanked by an invisible string. It was then that the group noticed the two pure-blood witches standing in the back. They were holding hands, blood dripping from deep gashes in their clenched palms. Their eyes both a solid, pupil-less white.

The now dead leader fell to the ground, dropping the large, ritualistic knife he had earlier. The remaining cloaked men panicked as they were surrounded by angry Vespertilio and Culebras, snarling and snapping as they closed in. As if by pure instinct, the vampires descended on them at once. Within seconds the deed was done, the world could go back to normal.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was decided after all was said and done, that there needed to be safeguards in place to prevent this from ever happening again. A system of checks and balances was put into place. Regular contact between leaders in all houses was required, which pretty much meant neither Richie or Kisa would ever truly be free of this life. 

Richie told Seth and Kate that he didn’t mind though, seeing as there was a life to be had to begin with. It was just the price to pay to protect the ones he loved, a price he was willing to pay.

The artifacts needed for the ritual could never truly be destroyed. The resurrection stones could never leave the realm or be cleansed, they were truly immortal. All the other relics, including the chalices, could be replaced and remade. So there was no real need to get rid of them. They were all just placed back into safe places, all of which were regularly checked on by members of all houses. 

It was a new way of life for supernaturals, especially for Culebras. Most of whom didn’t know any of the others existed until now. It was the way it had to be from now on, because there was always going to be people who wanted to bring harm on everyone else. 

None of the extra responsibility kept the Geckos and the gang from living their lives though. The world kept on turning, and life kept on going. The world was just a little bit bigger now.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two days later, Kate sprung out of bed.

“Richie wake up!” She said, shaking him by the shoulder.

“What?” Asked a sleepy Richie. 

“Wake up,” she pouted.

Richie looked over her shoulder to the clock on the nightstand, “It’s eight in the morning, Katie. What could possibly be so important?”

“We only have two days, Richie. And you said you would help.”

“And that has to start now?”

“Duh. We only have today and tomorrow afternoon, Richie. That’s barely enough time.”

“I think it’s plenty of time. Seth’s a simple guy, Kate. Just what exactly do you have planned?”

“Well some of its a surprise, so I can’t tell you, but we don’t have anything done yet.”

Richie sighed, “What do you need me to do, baby?”

“Well for starters, we have to pick out food to serve, and if we are getting a caterer we need to order that. Then we have to order a cake, and we certainly have to decorate. We didn’t even get decorations yet, Richie. And I still haven’t even had the time to set up the surprise I have for him, which I hope to God I can get done on such short notice.” 

“Kate,” laughed Richie, running his fingers down her cheek. “Breathe, baby. You’re gonna go overboard with this, and you don’t have to. Whatever you do for him, he’ll appreciate. Unless you go too big and embarrass him,” he quirked his head. “On second thought, that might not be such a bad idea.”

“Funny,” she smiled. “He said the same about you when I made him help me plan your party. I didn’t go overboard with yours, did I?”

“A little,” he smirked. 

Kate frowned a little at the comment.

“But I loved it,” said Richie, reassuring her. “It was the best birthday party I’ve ever had.”

Kate smiled back at him, and put her hand over his, the one still cradling her cheek. Then she took his hand and kissed his knuckles. 

“Well then, let’s make his just as good,” she said.

“No, not as good as mine,” chuckled Richie. “I ended up in your bed that night, and I’d prefer if he didn’t.”

“Richie,” laughed Kate. “Shut up. You know what I mean."

“I know,” he laughed back, pulling her close to rest her head on his chest. “Let me see if I can’t help you plan Seth’s birthday extravaganza.”

Kate rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head and smiling, “I know he likes carrot cake. Al said she makes a mean carrot cake, and will make cupcakes for him. But I was thinking of a big cake too, for those who don’t like carrot cake. What do you think he would prefer? Chocolate or white cake?”

“Well Seth’s not really a chocolate guy, so probably white cake with vanilla frosting. As for food, like I said, Seth’s a simple guy. He likes greasy, bar food. We serve plenty of that here.”

“You don’t think we should get something other than bar food?” She asked. “He eats it all the time.”

“Unless you plan on serving everyone steak and lobster, yeah I think bar food is okay,” laughed Richie. “Look, just make sure there are chicken wings, cheese sticks, and those loaded potato things, and he’ll be happy. Maybe nachos too. That’s the type of food he likes.”

Kate sighed, “Okay. If you think so. Did you figure out how you’re going to distract him while we’re setting up?”

“Yeah,” he shrugged.

Kate didn’t like his tone. It seemed to imply she wasn’t going to like the answer. She backed off his chest and looked him directly in the eyes.

“I swear to God, Richie. If you say strip club. . .”

“Where else did you think I was gonna to take him, Kate? The movies?” Asked a laughing Richie. “Seth likes women and booze. We live in a bar, so I don’t think he’d be interested in going to another bar, when the drinks are free here. Anything else would be suspicious.”

“And there really is nowhere else you could take him?”

“No, not really.”

“I’m not sure how I feel about that,” sighed Kate. “I don’t really like the idea of another woman dancing all over you.”

“Relax, Katie,” he chuckled. “You’re the only woman I want, and I have you. I’m not going anywhere, baby. Plus it’s not like you have sex with the strippers. You give them money and they rub on you a bit, then they go away.”

“It’s the rubbing on you part I don’t like,” she sneered.

Richie pulled Kate back down towards him, smirking, “I’m not doing this for me, I’m doing this for you, baby. As a favor, because I love you.”

“Shut up, Richard,” said Kate, rolling her eyes and smiling into a soft kiss.

“What else do you need from me?” He asked.

“You said you’d help me pick out a gift for him today.”

“Can’t we do that a little bit later? You seem to have a pretty good idea of what you want to do, so I think we have a little time to spare.”

“What? So you can go back to sleep?”

“Or we can do other things,” he said raising his eyebrows. “I’m already awake, and. . .” he took her hand, kissed it, then placed it around his cock. “So’s this guy.”

“Richie,” she blushed. 

He chuckled at her reaction, still so innocent, “So?”

Kate leaned in to kiss him, never removing her hand from him. She stroked him gently as the kiss grew. It seemed like she did have a little extra time on her hands now anyway.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“How did you get Kate to let you take me to a strip club?” Asked Seth in the car on the way back.

“She’s not by boss, Seth,” said Richie. “I can do what I want.”

“Bullshit! We both know you were pussy whipped long before you guys started fucking. I’m sure it’s only gotten worse now.”

Richie gave Seth an agitated, side glance, “I’m not pussy whipped.”

“Nice try, Richard!” Croaked Seth. “Not even you believe that.”

Richie rolled his eyes while taking a deep breath, “Did you at least enjoy yourself?”

“How could I not?” Chuckled Seth. “Did you see the tits on mine? Mmmmm. I could suck on those all night.”

“That costs extra,” smirked Richie.

“Not all of us have someone waiting at home, Richard. Don’t kill my dream,” he paused. “Hey, you never answered me about how you got Kate to let you go to a strip club. She doesn’t seem like it, but she’s actually the jealous type. I’ve seen it.”

“I told her it was for your birthday, and that that was what you wanted.”

“Really?” Seth questioned suspiciously. “And that worked?”

Richie shrugged, “Yeah.”

“You’re lying to me, Richard.”

“No I’m not,” squirmed Richie as he pushed his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose. “I didn’t say she was happy about it, did I? She wasn’t, but she said since it was for your birthday. . .”

Seth gave him another suspicious glance, but kept on driving back to the Jacknife. Then it hit him.

“You son of a bitch,” he sneered. 

“What?” Asked a confused Richie.

“That’s why she let you take me. To get me away from the bar.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Seth.”

“Don’t lie to me, Richard. You suck at it. She’s throwing me a surprise party, isn’t she?”

“No. She wants to take you out to eat tomorrow night to that fancy steak house.”

“No,” said Seth, shaking his head. “That’s not it. Spill it, Richard.”

“Fine! There’s a fucking party. Just fucking act surprised when you get there. You know how serious she gets about birthdays.”

“What the fuck, Richard?” Yelled Seth. “You know how I feel about birthday parties.”

“It’s just one night, Seth. Deal with it.”

“You owe me big time.”

“Why do I owe you?”

“Because you let her snake you into this. That’s why.”

“What was I gonna say?” Asked an irritated Richie. “No?”

“And you think you’re not pussy whipped?” Chuckled Seth.

“Just shut the fuck up and drive, Seth. She’ll be really upset if you’re not surprised. So you better be. Just suck it up for one night. For her. Please?”

Seth sighed, “Fine. For her I will. But it’s gonna be a long time before I trust any favors from you again.”

“I can live with that,” said Richie.

They drove the rest of the way back without speaking of the impending surprise party.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth and Richie arrived back at the Jacknife to the waiting surprise party. Richie texted Kate when they were five minutes away just as he was instructed to. When they pulled up, Seth cut the engine and glared at his baby brother.

“It’s just one night, Seth,” said Richie.

“And then every year after,” smirked Seth.

Seth took a deep breath and opened his door. He stepped out onto the gravel of the parking lot and headed to the front door with Richie by his side. He unlocked and opened the door and stepped through as the lights shot on.

Seth feigned surprise as Kate threw confetti in his face, literally in his face. Sparkly bits of foil rained down on him, and stuck in his hair. He blew some off his face as Kate darted in for a big hug.

“Happy birthday, Seth!” She shouted as she pulled away. 

Kate had one of the brightest smiles on he had ever seen as she looked at his confetti covered torso. It was so genuine, he couldn’t help but smile back. She may be Richie’s but he loved her too, and she loved him. They were a family, he thought. A happy family. He would never tell her that Richie couldn’t keep the secret from him, he knew Richie wouldn’t tell her either. It would crush her, and neither could do that to her. 

She ushered him further into the party. All the people who worked at the Jacknife were there. Scott, Kisa, Marisol, Freddie, and his family were there as well. Even Al stuck around for the festivities. She’s the one who placed a cold beer in his hand as he passed by.

This didn’t seem too bad, thought Seth. There was good music and dancing. And there was even a spread of greasy bar food and desserts. He could actually enjoy himself tonight. Richie was right, Kate threw the best birthday parties. 

Seth spent the next few hours socializing and grazing on chicken wings and loaded potatoes. There was always an ice cold beverage in his hand too, people kept bringing him new ones when they saw he was empty. If only life was always like that, he laughed to himself.

Before long it was time for cake, Al brought out her special, carrot cake cupcakes for him, and Kate brought out a bigger cake with ‘Happy 31st Seth’ written across it in dark blue icing. 

They sang happy birthday, to his embarrassment, and he blew out all thirty-one candles in one try.

“Wow,” chuckled Al. “You really are a windbag, huh? Look at the lungs on this guy.”

“Shut up Al,” he glared back, as everyone else joined in on the laughter.

Seth proceeded to open his gifts from everyone, never noticing how Kate and Al snuck away towards the end. He didn’t even notice when Kate came back out and pulled Richie back to the kitchen.

When the last gift was opened, Kate popped out of the Kitchen. She cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention. Seth looked over, realizing for the first time that she wasn’t next to him.

“I have one more for you, Seth,” she smiled. “I hope you like it.”

Then she opened the kitchen door as Richie rolled out a huge birthday cake topped with sparklers. He rolled in right in front of Seth, who looked at it and laughed.

“Try to blow those out,” snickered Richie.

Seth laughed, but blew out the sparklers too. Then Al burst out of the top of it, posing for him in a burlesque outfit, sporting jazz hands. 

“Happy birthday, Seth,” she chuckled, as she smushed one of the carrot cake cupcakes in his face.

He removed the cupcake, licking the cream cheese frosting from his lips. He shook his head and smiled as he unwrapped the cupcake and took a bite. Then he smashed the remainder in her face.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the night turned into the early morning hours, party goers started leaving, each saying bye to Seth as they left for the night. He really did have a fun night. 

Seth looked over to the dance floor and noticed that Kate and Richie were the only ones still dancing, as the crowd was getting thin. They were smiling in each other's eyes, seemingly unaware they were alone out there.

He noticed Alessandra swallowing the last of her drink by the bar, so he headed over.

“Happy birthday, Seth,” said Al. “But I think it’s time I go.”

“What? On my birthday? You didn’t even get me a present.”

“What, my jumping out of a big cake isn’t good enough? In this no less,” she said gesturing at the getup she was wearing.

“That wasn’t even your idea,” he chuckled, still admiring the view regardless.

“The dress was,” she smirked. “You think this was all Kate?” She paused. “I’ll tell you what. When I get back to Chicago, I’ll pick you out something real special, and mail it to you.”

“Or,” he said. “You could spare one more night for the birthday boy. Maybe he’ll give you a gift too. Like a. . . going away gift.”

“Ha,” she croaked. “You overestimate your charm, Gecko. Besides, I thought you said one night, no strings.”

“I see no strings,” he said. “Just two consenting adults who forgot to get gifts for different occasions. Come on. One more before you hit the road?”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I guess one more couldn’t hurt.”

Seth smirked, “I figured as much. How could you resist? Seeing as I’m the best sex you’ve ever had and all.”

“What?!” Laughed Alessandra. “Not full of yourself at all, are you?”

“Relax, Cupcake. I’m not as full of myself as some would think, but unfortunately I’m rather intimate with your memories. Which means that I have the unfortunate memory of every detail of Vincenzo’s cock. I wasn’t impressed,” shrugged Seth.

Al burst out laughing, “I am so sorry.” She continued laughing while trying to speak. When she finally calmed down enough to actually get words out, she said, “I know the feeling though. If I had another dream of you getting your dick sucked by some slut, I was planning on killing you myself to get these nightmares to stop.”

Seth laughed, “Oh really?! You think that’s worse than what I had to go through?”

“Yes! At least mine was only the one dick. There were so many different pussies, Seth. It was like a pussy rainbow. And some of them were pretty sketchy. It was horrible!”

He laughed, “Guilty. Back to you though, you spend a freakish amount of time dreaming about dicks, my friend. It’s actually disturbing. Maybe get some help.”

“Maybe you should help me,” she laughed.

“Maybe I will,” smirked Seth. “Somehow I feel it’s my responsibility. I’ve already helped save the world twice, it’s just one more thing I can do for the sake of humanity.”

“My hero,” smirked Al, rolling her eyes. “Shut up before I change my mind. Let’s go.”

“Really? You’re game?”

“Yes, really.”

“Good, ‘cause I was kinda hoping that you’d give me a real lap dance this time, and not just a dream one,” he smirked. “And this time you’ll be wearing that.”

“That dream has nothing on the real deal, Gecko,” she smirked back. “I’ve got skills unlike any you’ve seen.”

He smiled and offered her his hand to help her from her seat, then pulled her to the elevator. They made their way to his bedroom, shut the door behind them, and proceeded to give each other their “gifts”. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back upstairs, Richie and Kate continue to slow dance alone in the bar to Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden. He held her tight as she rested her head against his chest.

“I love you, Richie,” said Kate, looking up into his eyes.

“I love you too, Kate,” he replied, looking down to her.

“Like love love me?” smirked Kate.

“Yes. I love love you,” chuckled Richie as he bent down to kiss her. 

“Do you really mean that?” She asked, breaking the kiss.

“Of course I do. You’re the only one I want.”

She stopped dancing then and pulled away. 

“Then why don’t you prove it to me,” she said with a raised brow and a sultry smile.

“Gladly,” said Richie, smirking back.

Kate pulled him by the hand and led him to the elevator. He admired the view from behind as she did. While waiting for the doors to open he pulled her into a passionate kiss. Kate moaned into his mouth as the kiss deepened. 

When the doors finally opened, she pushed him inside, hard. He hit the back wall with a thud and a pleased smile. Kate sauntered over, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him again as the doors closed behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed taking this journey with me! This was my first story, and it was totally fun writing it for you guys. If you liked it enough to take it to the end, thank you so much! If not, sorry. LOL. I have plans to further this particular story line in the future, I just need a little more time to get it more together before I start writing and posting it. In the mean time I will be working on some other short AU's and stories that have been rolling around in my head. I'd like to take this time to apologize for any spelling and/or grammatical errors. I do my own editing, and sometimes miss things. As always, any comments, questions, and concerns are appreciated. Even constructive criticism would be appreciated because I am always striving to be a better writer. Thanks for reading and I hope to hear from you with some of my future stories.


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